OBCs up in arms against 10% EWS quota

The other backward classes (OBCs) are up in arms against the Centre's move to provide 10% reservation in government jobs and higher education to the economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category.

Various OBC groups and rights activists in New Delhi held a meeting on Tuesday on the issue under the aegis of the All India Backward Classes Federation (AIBC) and decided to launch a massive agitation in Delhi and other parts of the country during the upcoming Budget Session of the Parliament against the move to enforce the EWS quota.

The AIBC also decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the recent constitutional amendments which provide for 10% reservation to general category EWSs in the government jobs and higher education.

Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha, who attended the meeting, extended his party's support to the outfit's move to launch a nation-wide stir against the EWS quota.

“The 10% EWS quota is unconstitutional and beginning of a move to end the reservation guaranteed to the socially and educationally backward classes under the Constitution. We will file a petition challenging the constitutional amendments tomorrow (Wednesday),” former acting chief justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court and AIBC president V Eswaraiah told DH on the sidelines of the meeting.

The Constitutional amendment, passed by the Parliament and notified by the government, to provide for 10% EWS quota is against the preamble of the Constitution, concept of equality and social justice as well as the judgements of the Supreme Court, he said.

The economic justice does not mean that there will be reservations in the educational institutions and employment for the upper castes, he said.

“The economically weaker sections have not faced any kind of social injustice or discrimination, untouchability and oppression as faced by those belonging to the backward classes and other weaker sections. The fundamental rights do not permit the Parliament to tinker with basic features or basic structure of the Constitution,” he added.

Representatives of various OBC outfits and rights activists, who attended the meeting, slammed the Modi government for introduction of 10% EWS quota, calling the move as “hasty” and “intended to appease ruling classes” for their votes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

They demanded that the Centre should first make public the report of the socio-economic caste census which was completed on March 31, 2016.

“With the government providing 10% EWS quota to people whose annual family income is below Rs 8 lakh, the deserving poor among the general category people whose income is marginal will not be able to avail reservation benefit. It's only the upper caste rich who will be benefited,” AIBC general secretary Hansraj Jangra said.