Quota: Allies upset, UPA panel to discuss issue

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had earlier called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to request her to convene a meeting of the coordination committee on the issue of price rise. The UPA leadership is now working out the meeting schedule — tentatively on April 14 or 15 — depending on the availability of UPA leaders, according to sources.

As discussion on all agenda items got over at the Friday meeting, Union Health Minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss sought to draw the Cabinet’s attention to the SC ruling, according to sources. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav interjected: “Yeh (creamy layer) to humhi logon ko define karna hai na (we will be the ones to define the creamy layer).”

Then the PM intervened and said the Government would decide the future course after going through the judgment, said sources present at the meeting, adding HRD Minister Arjun Singh kept quiet at the meeting.

While Congress sources say the ruling party is not in favour of filing any review petition, its regional allies are set to put pressure on the UPA leadership during the coordination committee meeting.

Meanwhile, there is confusion in the Congress camp over the implication of the apex court ruling with a section of leaders cautioning against “premature” celebration as they think there are several riders in the court ruling upholding OBC quota.

The party, however, went over the top with AICC spokesperson Manish Tiwari terming the OBC quota a milestone in “a journey that the Indian National Congress commenced in 1932” with Gandhi-Ambedkar Poona Pact that led to the abolition of untouchability in 1950. The SC decision represents “vindication” and “100 years of commitment of the Congress to empower people who are still on the fringes of society and ensure that movement of social justice reaches its logical conclusion”.

A section of Congress leaders interprets the SC ruling as “winning the battle and losing the war”. Since the ruling held creamy layer as being against the basic structure of the Constitution, it has shut the door for any Constitutional amendment in this regard, said a senior Congress leader. Then the ruling said “the best and most meritorious students” had to be selected for admission to technical institutions and medical colleges and the Central Government would examine the desirability of fixing a cut-off mark in respect of OBC candidates.

Separate rulings recommended extension of either five-mark grace or 10-mark concession to candidates below the minimum eligibility marks fixed for general categories of students, which Congress leaders believe, may not satisfy the OBCs. Besides, reservation will not be applicable to the level of MD or MS or super-specialisation courses.

“The Congress will draw flak from both sides — from the OBCs for not doing enough and from the upper castes for implementing OBC quota. This issue has become a can of worms,” said a Congress Cabinet minister.