10% Reservation for Upper Castes: Centre Puts Opposition On Back Foot

Photo: Courtesy India Today

The Centre’s move on Monday approving 10 per cent reservation to economically-backward upper caste has put the opposition on the back foot.

Modi’s political rivals have a conundrum: They can neither be seen opposing it, nor can they be seen praising the government. The Congress, Samajwadi Party, RJD and others, in fact, had a difficult time in formulating their first response when the news broke, news portal First Post said in its opinion piece.

This could well turn out to be a hugely emotive issue for crores of Indians of all ages, more so among upper caste youth eligible for jobs and their elderly parents.

If the upper caste was distancing itself away from the Modi government, Monday’s decision will change that situation and once again — the upper castes will gravitate towards the BJP, it felt, describing the move as a ‘monumental decision”.

BJP had faced the upper case backlash in the recent assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and reports had pointed out that the upper castes were unhappy over the way the government had overruled the Supreme Court verdict on the SC/ST Act.

Just as it was difficult for any political party to publicly oppose reservation for the OBCs and continuance of the quota for SCs and STs, inside or outside of Parliament, no party will have the “appetite” to oppose this constitutional amendment bill in Parliament as and when it is put to vote. If the bill is stalled by the Congress and its allied parties, then the BJP will go to the elections making it as a huge electoral issue, the column said.