BENGALURU: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A Narayanaswamy on Saturday urged CM Siddaramaiah to convene a special legislature session and implement internal reservation for SCs.
Narayanaswamy said instead of pointing fingers at others, the CM should be committed to the welfare of SCs by implementing internal reservation and accepting the recommendation of the H Kantharaju Commission.
Siddaramaiah had earlier said Narayanaswamy’s statement in the Rajya Sabha that “sub-categorisation of SCs is not permissible under the existing provisions of the Constitution” exposed BJP’s hypocrisy. Narayanswamy said as Union minister, he provided the current status on the issue. He said the BJP is committed to internal reservation and the process is on. Article 341 of the Constitution needs to be amended to provide internal reservation and the previous BJP government in the state had sent a report to the Centre.
Citing the Opposition’s meeting in Bengaluru, he said let Siddaramaiah speak to AAP in Delhi and Punjab, TMC in West Bengal, and the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, which have all opposed internal reservation. As a backward classes leader, he should take up the issue with Congress’ alliance partners before pointing fingers at the BJP, he said. So far, the Centre has received responses from 20 states and two UTs, he added.