Sharad Pawar seeks caste census to rationalise quota quantum

Nationalist Congress Social gathering chief Sharad Pawar has mentioned {that a} caste census ought to be held to gather empirical knowledge to rationalise quantum of reservations. Whereas the Centre didn’t appear , there might be stress from inside BJP for it, he mentioned.

“BJP MP Sanghamitra Maurya requested for a caste census within the Home, however the minister involved didn’t give a solution. Inside the BJP, there are sections that need it. It might be one or two MPs right now, however after a couple of days, it’ll go as much as 20, after which could also be 200,” he mentioned. Addressing a information convention on Monday, Pawar mentioned that the current modification to the Structure to revive energy to states to inform their very own checklist of OBCs was not of any use as there was a reservation ceiling of fifty%.

“The Centre’s modification is of no use, the Supreme Court docket has already put a cap on reservations. In Maharashtra, we have already got 62% reservation. The Centre’s modification doesn’t profit any group or state so long as the Supreme Court docket order on the 50% cap stands,” Pawar mentioned. The ceiling on the quantum of reservation in authorities jobs and training establishments might be raised provided that there’s empirical knowledge on OBCs, he mentioned and a caste census was wanted for that, he mentioned. “Solely then may we do one thing for OBC communities… If we come to energy with a two-thirds majority, we’ll do it,” he mentioned, including: “They introduced in a Structure modification half-heartedly; it serves no objective with the 50% cap on states.”

ON PARLIAMNET SCUFFLE

Talking on the current fracas in Parliament, Pawar alleged the Modi governemnt ‘lowered Parliament’s status’ by getting marshals to ‘assault’ opposition MPs. “In my whole parliamentary profession, I’ve seen solely 5 to 10 marshals within the Home at a time. Nonetheless, I noticed 30 to 40 marshals within the Home for the primary time, just lately. I noticed girls MPs pushed and shoved. What occurred in Parliament was dangerous for democracy and the ruling occasion’s motion will erode folks’s belief in Parliament.” Pawar mentioned.


ON PEGASUS ROW

Pawar additionally raised the difficulty of Pegasus cellphone tapping controversy and mentioned three opposition leaders — P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi — have ‘deep understanding’ of the topic and, therefore, ‘that is my view that for credibility’s sake one in all them ought to be within the Supreme Court docket-appointed committee’. He added: “The defence ministry has claimed that it has not ordered Pegasus. It must be true as a result of they don’t do all this. For this (snooping), you could have RAW, house ministry, safety adviser, they may have been doing this.”