This is what leaders says about ‘Constitution 124th (Amendment) Bill’

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said this is a move to grant equal opportunity to all and will ensure Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. He said the bill will provide economic justice to all Indians. Jaitley also said that this Constitutional Amendment bill needs not approval of the state assemblies. He said manifestos of most parties promise reservation to economically weaker sections of the society. He countered the allegations related to the timing of the legislation citing the Congress party’s 2014 election manifesto in which it had taken about such move. He accused the Congress of adopting double standards.

Union Minister and LJP Chief Ram Vilas Paswan said it was a long-standing demand which has been fulfilled by the government. He demanded that along with the SC, ST and OBC quota, this 10 percent provisions for upper caste should be kept in the 9th schedule of the Constitution so that it cannot be challenged in the Court. He also asked the government to provide reservation in private sector and judiciary too.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said, it is a historic moment and the bill will provide equal opportunities to those who are economically weaker in upper caste. He said lakhs and crores of poor from the general category irrespective of any religion will get the benefit of this.

Initiating the debate on the bill in the House, K. V. Thomas of Congress said his party is not against the concept of this quota bill and support it, but the way it has been brought raises several questions on the sincerity of the government. He alleged that the government has brought the bill without proper home work and demanded that the bill should be sent to a joint parliamentary Committee.

TMC member Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, his party is in support of the bill. Anand Rao Adsul of ShivSena also supported the bill. AIADMK M Thambidurai demanded that the reservation ceiling should be increased to 70 percent. BJD leader Bharthruhari Mahtab also extended the support to the move. CPI(M) member Jitendra Chaudhury also said his party is supporting the bill in principally. JD(U) and Apna Dal also supported the bill.