SP,BSP MPs clash over promotion quota

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters later that there was not enough time to pass the Bill,which was cleared by the Cabinet on Tuesday,in the current session which ends Friday.

The amendment aims to negate a Supreme Court judgment of April which had set aside quotas in promotions provided by the previous BSP government in Uttar Pradesh on the ground that the same did not meet the criteria laid down in an earlier judgment.

Earlier in the day,the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for an hour soon after it assembled as slogan-shouting BJP MPs did not allow any business to be transacted. While BJP members resumed their protest when the House met again at noon,SP members,who are opposed to the amendment,were also on their feet as the government was expected to introduce the Bill.

SP MP Naresh Agrawal walked towards the well of the House when he was stopped by Avtar Singh Karimpuri of the BSP,which supports the amendment. As the House watched,Karimpuri grabbed Agrawal’s collar to stop him. The two members also pushed each other and jostled briefly before marshals and other MPs intervened and separated them.

The two,however,would not settle down and more BSP MPs had to restrain Karimpuri and urge him to return to his seat. Agrawal and five other SP members then went to the well of the House shouting that they would not allow quotas in promotions. Agrawal also tried to reach Deputy Chairman P J Kurien but was stopped by marshals.