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The Modi government will table a Constitutional amendment bill in Parliament on Tuesday in order to implement 10 percent reservation to economically backward upper castes in government jobs and educational institutions.
For implementation of the decision, articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution will have to be amended. This reservation will be over and above the existing 50 percent reservation.
With an eye on the upper caste vote in the coming Lok Sabha elections 2019, the Union Cabinet on Monday approved 10 per cent reservation for economically backward people in the general category in jobs and educational institutions, a decision that came under attack from the Opposition which described it as an election gimmick aimed at misleading the voters.
The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took the decision to provide for 10 per cent quota for people belonging to "unreserved categories", including Christians and Muslims, in jobs and education with an annual income limit of Rs 8 lakh and a land holding ceiling of about five acres, highly placed sources said.
Calling the upper caste quota an election stunt by the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday demanded a special session of the Parliament to bring constitutional amendment for the implementation of the decision.
"For the economically backward upper castes, the Narendra Modi government has given a welcoming 'jumla'. Such similar decisions have been passed from time to time by several states, but the courts have banned more than 50 per cent reservation. Is this also a drama?" AAP MP Sanjay Singh said.
While endorsing reservation for economically poor classes irrespective of caste, the Congress on Monday frowned at the intention behind the Modi government approving 10 per cent quota for the "unreserved categories" and demanded to know "where are the jobs".
Addressing the media after the cabinet approved 10 per cent reservation for economically backward people in general category in jobs and educational institutions, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the decision reeked of "political motive" rather than the actual welfare of the masses.
"India is on verge of the worst job crisis of the century with unemployment at a high of 7.3 per cent which is the highest in the last 23-24 months. The demonetisation disaster and the flawed implementation of GST resulted in crores of job losses.
"Moreover, the Modi government admitted in Parliament that 24 lakh posts in government sectors are lying vacant which the government has failed to fill up in last 4.5 years," said Surjewala.
"While we welcome the decision to offer reservation to economically weaker classes, but the question that arises is where are the jobs. The government after destroying millions of jobs, with the next elections just 100 days away, has suddenly woken up and offering reservation without creating any jobs.
"Without creating jobs, reservation for the upper castes will turn out to be a 'jumla' (false promise) for the elections," said Surjewala.
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(With inputs from agencies)