BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath, who welcomed the State government’s move to increase the reservation quota to SC/ST communities, has said that the government should take recourse to a constitutional amendment to make it legally tenable.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Saturdayhe said many States such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chattisgarh had taken such decisions in the past but they were struck down by the Supreme Court which has set a ceiling of 50 per cent on reservations.
He said the only course left was to go through the process via Schedule 9 and seek a constitutional amendment and enact a law so that the hike in reservation cannot be challenged on legal grounds.
Mr.Vishwanath also called for a comprehensive debate on the issue of reservation on the grounds that every community was asking for it and though it is their right, it was for the government to be discerning on extending the benefits.
‘’There should also be a debate and discussion on the creamy layer and the need for internal reservations in view of a few communities cornering all benefits to the exclusion of others who have no political voice.’.
The hike in reservation for SC/ST should ensure that the OBC are not deprived of their share and the government should make legal provisions for it, he added.
Mr.Vishwanath said this was a long pending demand and many leaders had fought for it and one had to remember in particular the contribution of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
Dasara Authority
Mr.Vishwanath also launched a scathing attack on the government for the manner in which the just-concluded Dasara was conducted.. ‘’People at the helm of affairs and the district in-charge Minister S.T. Somashekar had no clue as to what was going on and local elected representatives with experience of conducting the event were not taken into confidence’’, he alleged.
He reiterated the demand for constitution of a Dasara Authority to take care of the organisation of the festival in a professional manner. The MLC was also critical of the amount spent on certain artists who were invited for Yuva Dasara and said local talents should have been given more preference.
On the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra being undertaken by Rahul Gandhi, Mr.Vishwanath said such yatras and public outreach programmes are part of the democratic process.
