‘CM has promised to enforce SC/ST promotion Act’

Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge said on Saturday that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has promised to implement the legislation that seeks to restore reservation in promotions for employees belonging to SC/ST communities at the earliest.

“I have spoken to both the chief minister and deputy chief minister (G Parameshwara) in this regard. They have promised to implement it at the earliest. I am hopeful the legislation will come into effect soon,” he told reporters.

In the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Kumaraswamy on Thursday evening, Kharge had threatened to resign as the minister if steps were not taken to implement the Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (to the Posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act, 2017.

He had argued that the government had been dilly-dallying on implementing the Act which empowers the government to protect the interest of SC/ST employees. The law aims at sidestepping a Supreme Court directive that struck down reservations for SC/ST employees in promotions.

Asked about his threat to tender resignation, Kharge said: “I cannot reveal what happened in the Cabinet meeting. But I am of the view that the Act must be implemented. It is our commitment,” he stated.

On the controversy over Kumaraswamy’s revolt-against-BJP statement, the minister said use of the word revolt might be wrong.

But one has to think the circumstance that forced the chief minister make that statement. “The BJP has been trying to destabilise the coalition government. The party has been trying to mislead people. But the saffron party will never succeed its game plan,” he added.