The Hindu : National : UPA has deviated from reservation policy: Advani

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UPA has deviated from reservation policy: Advani

Staff Reporter

Identifies two major ‘deviations’

NEDUMBASSERY: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, L.K. Advani, alleged that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was trying to deviate from the Constitutional provisions regarding reservation.

Mr. Advani was addressing a leadership meet of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes organised under the aegis of the SC/ST Samvarana Samrakshana Prakshobhana Samithi of the BJP.

He said that ever since the UPA government came into power it had been trying to make two major deviations from the constitutional scheme (regarding reservation) that had been adopted by the Constituent Assembly and accepted by all the successive governments.

The government led by Manmohan Singh was trying to bring about reservation based on religion for the first time, he said. The other deviation, he said, was the attempt to extend the benefits bestowed on the SCs and STs by the Constitution to converted dalits. Mr. Advani said that this would put additional burden on the SC and ST communities.

He said that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress were also encouraging such a proposal.

In Kerala, where there are about 35-lakh people belonging to the SCs and STs, this move would add another 45-lakh new beneficiaries, he said.

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