The Hindu : National : JD (U), BJP differ on reservation for Dalit converts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 26, 2005

National

National

JD (U), BJP differ on reservation for Dalit converts

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Differences in political ideology between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its key ally, Janata Dal (United), came to fore in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday when Nitish Kumar strongly advocated that benefits of reservation be extended to Scheduled Castes who convert to Islam and Christianity, a proposal that did not go down well with the BJP.

The forceful plea of the JD (U) leader during an impromptu discussion on the Supreme Court's observation on Tuesday saw BJP members rising in protest that prompted the former Union Minister to emphasise that the ideology he represented was not the one which the BJP shares.

Mr. Kumar's observation came after BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra questioned the move to provide reservation on the basis of religion saying it went against the Constitution and the right of the apex court to intervene as it did in the case of striking down the Illegal Migrants (Determination) by Tribunal.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Nitish Kumar said "caste does not go away by mere change of religion''. Even as he carried on amid protests by BJP members, some members belonging to the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress said the JD (U) leader's remarks were in the wake of the coming Bihar Assembly polls.

"How long will we delay a decision?'' he asked, urging the Centre to bring a law to give benefits of reservation. He said the apex court's observations were in the case pertaining to Dalits retaining the benefits of reservation on conversion.

Mr. Nitish Kumar also had a dig at the Congress by recalling that at one time there was talk of "committed judiciary''. He said there was no confrontation between Parliament and Judiciary, both of which have their rights.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National