Quota bill brought by Govt to divert attention from coal scam: BJP

BJP today accused the Government of bringing the Bill providing for quota for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in promotions in government jobs to divert attention from Coalgate.

BJP leaders insisted that the party has always stood for social justice and espoused the cause of SCs/STs and the most backward and that no section of the party was opposed to the Bill.

"The manner in which the Bill seeking a constitutional amendment for reservation in promotions for SC/ST was brought shows that the government is using it as a diversionary tactic.... This is a clear ploy of diversion from the fight against corruption," BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

BJP sources said government brought the Bill in a "hurried manner" without discussing it in the Business Advisory Committee meeting of the Rajya Sabha though all parties, barring SP, had pledged their support to it.

The main Opposition also questioned the motive behind calling an unscheduled Cabinet meeting at short notice yesterday just to clear this Bill.

"This was also done on a day when the CBI was conducting raids in coal block allocation anomalies and Congress MP Vijay Darda was one of those who were raided," a BJP leader said.

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