BHUBANESWAR : The BJD on Wednesday staged a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan demanding reservation for SEBCs in technical institutions and medical colleges.
The party also demanded 27 per cent reservation for SEBCs in all educational institutions. Besides, the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in medical, engineering and technical institutions should be increased to 38.75 per cent from the present 20 per cent, the party leaders said.
A delegation of BJD leaders submitted a memorandum to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati stating the Centre and several other states have already implemented 27 per cent reservation for the SEBCs across educational institutions including medical and technical colleges.
They urged the Governor to intervene in the matter to ensure that the Odisha government upholds the principles of social justice and equity.
There should also be revision in the reservation for SCs and STs in medical and technical institutions to align with their actual demographic representation, they added.
Meanwhile, senior BJD leader Ranendra Pratap Swain has questioned the state government about the fate of the Bill passed in the Odisha Assembly in 2008 for 27 per cent reservation in jobs for the OBCs.
The state government had at that time referred the Bill to be included in the ninth schedule of the Constitution. The present government should now pursue the matter with the Centre to ensure 27 per cent reservation for SEBCs, he said.