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Journalism of Courage
Two days after an in-house decision by the top-brass, BJP president Rajnath Singh put the official stamp on the subtle BJP shift on the reservation issue today.
Delivering his first presidential address at the party’s national executive meeting here, Singh made three demands on the government: ensure the space for merit is not reduced nor excellence of institutions compromised; that benefits of reservation reach the most deprived social groups; and that there is a quota for the upper caste poor too.
Echoing the view of Leader of Opposition L K Advani, the BJP chief advocated the appointment of a committee of specialists to study the impact of reservations so far.
Reiterating BJP’s support to the Constitutional amendment providing for reservations in higher educational institutions, Singh recalled the party’s Bhopal national executive resolution in 1985 favouring affirmative action for the uplift of weaker sections. But the manner in which the issue had been handled by the UPA regime, Singh said, ‘‘leaves no one in doubt that its object is not social justice, but to create social tensions. Any attempt at divisiveness must be avoided. Consensus building is a must for such initiatives.’’
Later, responding to a volley of questions, party spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said the BJP supports reservations but not the manner in which the government has gone about them. HRD Minister Arjun Singh, according to him, indulged in one-upmanship and made an announcement without any discussions. Dismissing the suggestions that the BJP was betraying an anti-OBC bias, Prasad contended: ‘‘We have promoted OBC leaders more than any other party.’’
On the margins, the BJP’s shift from a position of consensus to one involving conditions, has strained relations between Advani and Singh. The BJP president is learnt to be peeved at being upstaged by Advani in articulating the shift in the party stance. Senior leaders had decided on Saturday that the party chief alone will spell out the new BJP position. Sources disclosed that Rajnath Singh has lodged his protest against what he called ‘‘this breach of faith’’ with all participants in the Saturday meeting, including former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Disappointed with the change of track by the BJP, Janata Dal(U) president Sharad Yadav told The Indian Express that NDA ought to have taken a united stand on the same lines as the UPA. ‘‘Vajpayeeji is our (NDA) chairman,’’ he said, ‘‘he should have convened a meeting of the alliance partners.’’ When asked if he would seek an NDA meeting, the JD(U) chief said, ‘‘What can I do now when they have already taken a position?’’ Yadav also described as ‘‘flawed’’ the BJP’s demands for exclusion of the creamy-layer and quota for the upper-caste poor.
BJP amends party constitution
NEW DELHI: The BJP national executive on Monday amended the party constitution to enhance the role of RSS deputationists in the organisation.
• Party chief has been empowered to appoint and remove organising secretaries from the district-level upwards
• General secretary (organisation) at the central level will have two secretaries to share his work
• State general secretaries (organisation) will work under national general secretary (organisation)
• Zonal organising secretaries will look after more than one district or a state
