Reservation bill: Congress ally Gowda lends support

BENGALURU: His party may be a coalition partner of the Congress in Karnataka, but Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda is batting for the BJP-led union government’s reservation bill. The former PM took to Twitter on Tuesday — the day the Union government introduced The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 — to extend his support to 10 per cent reservation for people under the General Category in jobs and education. This, even as his alliance partner Congress deemed it “unconstitutional”.

“Janata Dal (Secular) supports the 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker sections of the upper castes. We have always stood for, and will continue to stand for the betterment of the underprivileged and weaker sections of the society (sic),” tweeted Deve Gowda. Given the opposition to the bill, which provides 10 per cent reservation to economically weak citizens in the General — otherwise deemed as ‘upper caste’ — category, Gowda said that it could be challenged in the SC.

“A nine-judge bench has already capped reservation at 50 per cent, and hence, this amendment is sure to be challenged. Legal knots need to be solved first,” Gowda told reporters.