VT Balram. (Source: Facebook)Even as the Congress party supported the BJP-led Centre’s move to introduce 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions among economically weaker sections in the general category, it’s MLA in Kerala has vociferously slammed the decision.
VT Balram, elected as MLA from Thrithala constituency in Palakkad district who has a history of disagreeing with the state leadership of the Congress on a range of issues, took to Facebook to air his grievance on the matter. The 40-year-old MLA, in an indirect swipe at his own party, said when it came to reservation, the real fight against Brahminism, everyone would unite to derail constitutional goals.
In one of the Facebook posts originally written in Malayalam, Balram said, “This is when the constitution is being derailed. This is when we are walking back from social reformation. This is when democracy surrenders at the feet of Brahminism. This is when Ambedkar is thrown on the streets and the philosophy of Manu being re-introduced. This is the time to build a defence wall. Whatever people say, my stand is against economic reservation.”
In another Facebook post on the matter, the MLA wrote, “Instead of discharging the democratic responsibility of empowering the backward classes, everyone is talking in the same voice on the lost glory of the upper-castes.”
Balram added that he was honoured to have worked as part of the election campaign of ET Muhammad Basheer, IUML MP and one of the three MPs who voted against the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
In the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, when The Constitution (124th Amendment Bill) 2019 was passed with 323 votes in favour and three against, the Congress party backed the idea behind the bill, but said the way it was pushed by the government in the last stage of the winter session of Parliament was undemocratic.
“This is butchering Indian democracy. You (Speaker) are the custodian of this House. You should not allow this. We are not opposing the Bill, but opposed to the way the government is doing it. It should be sent to a joint parliamentary committee, which can study it in a month,” Congress MP from Kerala, K V Thomas said in the House.
