Social justice, tribal rights outfits call for reservation in pvt sector

Two of the platforms actively working for social justice and the rights of tribal communities, on Wednesday, brought up the topic of introducing reservation in the private sector.

A Congress panel, after the party’s Chintan Shivir held in Udaipur earlier this month, too, had spoken in favour of this issue.

Two platforms—the Paschimbanga Samajik Nyay Mancha and Paschim Banga Adivasi Adhikar Manch—which are affiliated to the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) advocated reservation in the private sector.

Former CPI(M) MP, and general secretary of DSMM, Ram Chandra Dome told DH that such like-minded organisations would gather for a joint initiative in New Delhi next month and take a call on this issue.

Dome said that besides CPI(M) and the other Left—who support the extension of reservation into the private sector—several other political parties, too, assured support on this issue.

According to Dome, the government was in a position to implement reservation if it was committed to the cause. He claimed reservation was needed in the private sector as "rampant" privatisation has affected public sector entities.

“Private owners do not have a responsibility to recruit the socially vulnerable sections of society. Naturally, it is the government's duty to have legislation (passed) in Parliament,” Dome stated.

The DSMM general secretary felt that it was feasible to introduce reservation in the private sector, as after privatisation and liberalisation, scope of recruitment in the public sector had been reduced. Private sector recruitment could be done with an appropriate provision.

Bengal’s former IT minister Debesh Das, also the working president of PSNM, said that the government had to "evolve" the process.