Quota bill can be challenged in court, warns SP

Strongly opposed to quota for government job promotions, Samajwadi Party on Monday asked the government to rethink on the bill, warning that it could have a very serious fall-out and may be challenged in court.

Participating in a debate on the bill in Rajya Sabha, Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party) said government was pushing the constitutional amendment bill just "for some people", an apparent reference to Bahujan Samaj Party.

"What is wrong is wrong. Think again and introspect before voting. Don't vote against your conscience. People will rectify it," Yadav said.

"The bill if passed will get challenged in the court. It will be scrutinised in the Supreme Court," he said, adding as far as reservation in jobs at the entry level is concerned, it is justifiable but after that people should be treated equally.

His party member Naresh Agrawal demanded that the Bill should be referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee to avoid a possible wide-spread uproar in the country.

"I would urge the government to refer the Bill to the Standing Committee...What's the problem if it is sent to the Committee?" Agrawal asked.

SP has been resisting even a discussion on the Bill for quite some time now. Two party members were asked to withdraw from the House last week for protesting against the measure.

"SP is not against reservation...If 82 per cent of the people are not accepting the Bill, it (the passing of the Bill) will create division, we are moving behind. It will have a very serious fall out in the future," he said.

Agrawal, whose party is a clear minority in opposing the Bill in the Upper House, requested members belonging to other parties to vote not on party lines, but as per their inner voice.