Quota: BJP to raise police atrocities issue

Malhotra avoided a categorical reply for a while when asked to spell out the party stand on the proposed quota for OBCs in higher education. Thereafter, he said,‘‘It is a constitutional provision. How can any party oppose the quota?’’ He said it was for the government to clarify its stand like how many seats did it wish to reserve. ‘We would respond once they take a decision,’’ he said.

Condemning the use of excessive force by the police on the students, he said: ‘‘People can have a different view-point in a democracy and there is no way police brutalities can be justified.’’

Sonia mum

Congress president Sonia Gandhi did not utter a word on the issue as she addressed members of the Congress parliamentary party on Monday. Party spokesperson Rajiv Shukla, however, said in reply to a question that reservation was subsequent to a constitutional amendment ‘‘that had the support of all political parties’’. ‘‘Things are being done based on consensus. We don’t think anyone is opposing reservation for OBCs,’’ Shukla said. A senior advisor to Sonia, however, said ‘‘there has to be a middle path that avoids social division’’.