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Centre will not seek review: Arjun Singh

Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh being felicitated by All India Yadav Mahasabha in New Delhi on Sunday.

New Delhi: Despite reservations among allies on the creamy layer issue, the government has said it would implement the Supreme Court verdict on the OBC quota issue and not seek a review.

At the same time, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh sought to mollify allies upset over the exclusion of the creamy layer, saying the government as also the United Progressive Alliance favoured reservation benefit for the creamy layer.

“The Supreme Court verdict is implementable and it will be implemented,” Mr. Singh told PTI in an interview, asserting that the process would be initiated in the coming academic session to the extent possible.

Mr. Singh steered clear of the demands by allies, including the DMK, for a “fair and just” review of the parameters that would define the creamy layer.

‘Very positive’

“It has been very carefully done. The overall structure of the judgment is very positive,” he said. Asked whether the government had plans to go in for a review of the verdict, he said he did not want to speculate. “There is no such thing at present,” he said, asked whether the government would seek reference of the issue to a larger SC Bench.

“The basic issue has been resolved. There are differences on the creamy layer issue. We will try to sort out differences by discussions,” he said, adding a meeting of the UPA Coordination Committee was likely soon after the reconvening of the Parliament session on April 15.

Mr. Singh said the government’s strategy was to implement whatever was implementable and decide on the rest after discussions.

The HRD Minister, who had played a proactive role on the reservation issue, said that without confronting the apex court, the government would examine the suggestions from allies.

Noting that the concept of creamy layer was only in connection with the OBCs, he said it should be applied very carefully to avoid a situation that would deny the benefit in genuine cases.

He said the government was yet to get a copy of the judgment. — PTI

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