Govt favours reservation in promotion, pvt sector jobs

The Centre on Monday told the Lok Sabha that it favours reservation in promotion and also in private sector jobs but urged the Opposition to make efforts to create a conducive “atmosphere” for wider acceptance of the two demands.

The issue of giving reservation in promotion in the government jobs was raised by senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in the Lower House while members cutting across the party lines pressed for reservation in private sector jobs during a debate on the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry’s demands for grants.

The erstwhile United Progressive Alliance government had brought a bill for reservation in government job promotion. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with support of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was then in Opposition. The draft legislation, however, could not get nod of the Lok Sabha.

“The government is in favour of giving reservation in promotion. We had supported the passage of UPA bill in the Rajya Sabha. But, there are people in your party also who do not support it. There is need to create an atmosphere. So, you create an atmosphere and give us in writing that the Congress is in support of reservation in promotion. We will definitely consider and move forward,” Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot said, while replying to Kharge’s demand.

Seeking the government resolve to revive the proposed legislation, Kharge urged the Union minister to convince Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.

Since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has the majority, it should try to push the proposal using its strength so that members belong to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes get the benefit of reservation in promotion.

“Only a fraction of officers from these communities are holding top posts,” Kharge pointed out.
Responding to members demand for enforcing reservation in private sector jobs, the Union minister said the previous government had set up a committee to look into the issue.

“We will act accordingly once we receive the report of the committee. But, I have a request to you that please create an atmosphere for it. Create an atmosphere in the corporate sector. We are also doing it. If they say they are ready, we do not have any problem. We will definitely try for it,” he said.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha witnessed angry reactions from Congress members as Gehlot raised the Hyderabad University issue and charged Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi of “deliberately” creating an atmosphere in the country for “class struggle”. 

“As many as 11 students of the Hyderabad University committed suicide since 2006. Of them, three belonged to scheduled castes, another three scheduled tribes and rest belonged to other backward classes and general category. Rahul Gandhi visted the campus (after Dalit Scholar Rohit vemula’s suicide). Why did not you go there earlier when these incidents of suicide took place?,” Gehlot charged.