SC quota order: Gujarat Congress to rally against BJP on February 17

The Gujarat Congress on Friday hit out at the BJP and announced it would hold protests on February 17 over a recent Supreme Court order on reservations.

In a recent judgement, the SC held that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments and there is no fundamental right to claim quota in promotions.

The apex court said this while dealing with pleas regarding Uttarakhand government's September 5, 2012 decision to fill up all posts in public services in the state without providing reservations to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Gujarat Congress in-charge Rajiv Satav said the apex court ruling was unfortunate and alleged that the BJP-RSS was trying to end reservations in the country.

"What the BJP government in Uttarakhand said in the Supreme Court reflects the agenda of the ruling party and the RSS. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court accepted that stand.

"Since long, BJP and RSS are trying to remove reservation. Time and again, their leaders like RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat have said it clearly. We think the judgement is an attack on the Constitution," Satav said.

"The BJP always wanted to make sure Dalits, tribals and other backward classes remained deprived of their rights. The Congress will oppose this judgement and will not allow BJP to implement its agenda. In Gujarat, we have planned protests on February 17," he told reporters here.

Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda said a mega rally will be held near the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar in Sarangpur area here on February 17 against the apex court order.

"We will start with this state level programme on February 17 and then we will have district and block level programmes in the days to come. We will fight till the end against the BJP. The Congress will not let the BJP remove reservations," Chavda said.