Quota: Allies upset, UPA panel to discuss issue

NEW DELHI, APRIL 11: Exclusion of creamy layer from the OBC quota ambit, as ruled by the Supreme Court on Thursday, came up for a brief mention at the Cabinet meeting on Friday but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the Government had to go through the judgment first before deciding on the future course of action.

UPA constituents like the PMK, which raised the issue in the Cabinet, the DMK, the RJD and the LJP, among others, are set to discuss it at the UPA Coordination Committee meeting scheduled to be held early next week. These parties are upset over the exclusion of creamy layer and would like the Government to go for a review petition.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had earlier called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to request her to convene a meeting of the coordination committee on the issue of price rise. The UPA leadership is now working out the meeting schedule — tentatively on April 14 or 15 — depending on the availability of UPA leaders, according to sources.

As discussion on all agenda items got over at the Friday meeting, Union Health Minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss sought to draw the Cabinet’s attention to the SC ruling, according to sources. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav interjected: “Yeh (creamy layer) to humhi logon ko define karna hai na (we will be the ones to define the creamy layer).”

While Congress sources say the ruling party is not in favour of filing any review petition, its regional allies are set to put pressure on the UPA leadership during the coordination committee meeting.

Meanwhile, there is confusion in the Congress camp over the implication of the apex court ruling with a section of leaders cautioning against “premature” celebration as they think there are several riders in the court ruling upholding OBC quota.

The party, however, went over the top with AICC spokesperson Manish Tiwari terming the OBC quota a milestone in “a journey that the Indian National Congress commenced in 1932” with Gandhi-Ambedkar Poona Pact that led to the abolition of untouchability in 1950. The SC decision represents “vindication” and “100 years of commitment of the Congress to empower people who are still on the fringes of society and ensure that movement of social justice reaches its logical conclusion”.

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