Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for reservation in private sector, wants debate at national level

Hukumdev Narayan, a Bharatiya Janata Party MP, supported Nitish’s demandl. BJP is the partner of JDU in Bihar. Both parties formed the government earlier this year after JDU broke its alliance with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD.

“Yes, this is correct. This [issue of reservation in private sector] must be debated on a national level. I want to congratulate Nitish ji for raising this issue,” said Hukumdev Narayan.

Nitish defended the decision of his government of introducing quota in outsourced services. He said that the people who were criticising it had “very little understanding” of the issue. Nitish iterated that the provision was brought in accordance with the Bihar Reservation Act.

“If we (the government) award a contract to somebody for undertaking a work, then the contractor will not be bound by quota policy since he will be hiring and he will be paying. But, in case of outsourced services availed of by the government, the rules will be obviously different,” he said.

The chief minister quashed all allegations that the quota proposal cleared by the cabinet last week was an attempt to introduce reservation in private sector through the back door. “We in principle” favour reservation in private sector too. “But, for that parliament has to take initiative in accordance with provisions of the Constitution.”

He said he did not approve of the idea of “too much outsourcing” adding, “often outsourced employees form their own associations to press the demand for regularisation. But when it is not possible, outsourcing must not become an excuse to deprive employees of reservation benefits.” he added.

Opposition came from within the CM’s party as well. JD(U) leader Uday Narayan Choudhary spoke against the decision.

According to law, reservation is provided to members of SC, ST, OBC, physically disabled persons, members of religious and ethnic minorities and more for benefits in education, jobs, healthcare, etc. The law doesn’t make it mandatory for private entities to provide reservations unless they are formed on particular sections of the law that make it mandatory.

During the press conference, Nitish also said: “Whatever decisions we took were all in Bihar’s interest. The alliance we entered into is the same which was there 4 yrs ago.”

In what seemed as an attempt to court the BJP to discuss the issue, Nitish defended the implementation of Goods and Services Tax. “People opposing GST must be asked when was it proposed,” adding, “First VAT was introduced and now GST. Transition takes time. No point opposing it.”

GST was introduced under the UPA regime and went through several transformation. By the time it was set for passage under NDA rule, UPA had raised several objections on the alterations of the law including the 28 per cent cap on the tax.