— Photo: V. V. Krishnan

MOBILISING SUPPORT: (From left) D. Raja, V. P. Singh, S. Ramadoss and Sharad Yadav at the `National Seminar on Social Justice to OBCs' organised by the Pattali Makkal Katchi in New Delhi on Sunday.

NEW DELHI: Cutting across party lines, political leaders on Sunday called for unity on the issue of reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

They urged the United Progressive Alliance Government to bring in legislation in the monsoon session of Parliament to implement the 93rd Constitutional Amendment, which provides for reservation to OBCs in institutions of higher education. There were subtle hints that if the policy was not implemented, the issue could become a rallying point for like-minded parties.

"No dilly-dallying"

The former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, called for a national referendum on reservation, and said the 93rd Constitutional Amendment should be implemented in one go. "There should be a movement for referendum on reservation for [the] Scheduled Castes and [the] Scheduled Tribes and the OBCs in education, media, [the] private sector and [in] judiciary. Let the people decide. Let there be a vote on it. There should be no dilly-dallying on the issue," he said at a `National Seminar on Social Justice to the OBCs,' organised by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).

Call for a movement

Mr. Singh, who implemented the Mandal Commission recommendations as Prime Minister in 1990, said it was more than 15 years since Mandal but in some States, the Backward Classes had not been given reservation. In some others, particularly in the north, Muslims had not been included. "Honesty has to be tested on this issue on the ground," he said, calling for a movement. "Parties can be divided, movements are not."

Rejecting suggestions of implementing the policy in instalments, he said: "It should be dealt [with] in one surgery. Had I done the Mandal Commission in instalments, there would have been chaos and [a] bloodbath. I did it through a Government Order, and no one has been able to erase my signature from that order."

Judicial services

He said an All-India Judicial Services should be created, and there should be a public service examination.

On reservation in the private sector, he said no capital sector could exist without a social cause. "In higher education, there can be steps for doubling the seats, and schools could run double shifts, but that cannot be a pre-condition for accepting reservation."

Most leaders at the inaugural session, including S. Ramadoss (PMK), Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal-United), D. Raja (Communist Party of India) and Chhagan Bhujbal (Nationalist Congress Party), criticised the media `hype' over the recent agitation by medical students.

They also criticised the Sam Pitroda-led Knowledge Commission that had, by a majority vote, backed merit against reservation in higher education.

The leaders called for OBC reservation this year itself and endorsed a resolution moved at the seminar. Dr. Ramadoss urged the Government to declare 2006 as the `Year of Social Justice' and bring in legislation for this.

Referring to the debate on the population of Dalits and the OBCs, Mr. Yadav called for a caste census. It was a reality that society was based on caste. "You do away with the caste system, and we will take back our demand on reservation."

According to Mr. Raja, it was the duty of the Government to implement reservation and bring in an enabling law.

"This is not the policy of one party, but of Parliament. It is a transitory demand till we achieve the objective of education and employment for all. It is meant to give equal opportunities and access to every person. If you ignore this, it will lead to turmoil."

Criticising the private sector, Mr. Raja said the Government should withdraw concessions such as land, and tax holiday if it refused to implement reservation.

A model law on education should be brought out by the Centre for all States to consider.

Mr. Bhujbal said if the reservation policy was not implemented, it could become a rallying point for like-minded parties. Despite up to 70 per cent reservation in some southern States, they were ahead of those in the north, he said.

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