Bangalore: Janata Dal (United) national president Sharad Yadav on Saturday demanded the dismissal of Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal for opposing reservation for other backward classes in higher educational institutions, which violated the oath he had taken to abide by and protect the Constitution.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme organised by the Press Club of Bangalore here, Mr. Yadav said that reservation for other backward classes had been provided under the 93rd Amendment to the Constitution passed unanimously by both the Houses of Parliament.

Mr. Yadav expressed displeasure over the manner in which medical students were protesting against reservation. Reservation is positive discrimination mandated by the Constitution, he said.

He said that out of 7,000 seats in IITs, IIMs and other Central higher educational institutions, hardly 2,000 seats would go to the other backward classes. Already there was 22.5 per cent reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but hardly three per cent of the reserved seats were filled. He blamed successive governments at the Centre for not increasing the intake or establishing more Central institutes to accommodate the increasing number of students.

The JD(U) leader reiterated that his party was still a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance and he was its convener. He said he would be meeting all the leaders of the Janata Parivar to bring about unity among the splinter groups of the parivar. He would be meeting the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on May 9 in New Delhi.

He said the roots of the Janata Parivar were in Karnataka as it was built and strengthened by leaders such as S. Nijalingappa, Ramakrishna Hegde, J.H. Patel, Mr. Deve Gowda and Mr. Bommai. It led to the formation of a bigger combine, which came to power at the Centre. Mr. Yadav ruled out the formation of a third front. State JD(U) president B. Somashekar and M.P. Nadagouda, MLC, were present.

Meets Siddaramaiah

Bangalore Special Correspondent writes:

Mr. Yadav called on the former Deputy Chief Minister and All-India Progressive Janata Dal leader, Siddaramaiah here on Saturday. Sources in the AIPJD said that Mr. Siddaramaiah told Mr. Yadav that he was not averse to the unity of the Janata Parivar provided it stayed clear of the Bharatiya Janata Party and "family rule."

He spoke out against the dominant role played by Mr. Deve Gowda and his family in Karnataka politics, which was mainly responsible for the JD(S) gradually breaking up. Mr. Yadav also spoke to Mr. Deve Gowda on the phone since the latter is away on an election tour in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, Mr. Yadav called on the former Chief Minister S.R. Bommai and also visited the residence of the late Ramakrishna Hegde and the late J.H. Patel.

Shreepathy Rao quits

The JD(U) received a jolt on Saturday with its national general secretary B. Shreepathy Rao quitting the party. He called on Mr. Yadav and announced his decision.

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