MODI GAMBLES WITH 10% UPPER CASTE RESERVATIONS..... Panic quota card

J.P. YADAV,TT , 08 Jan 2019, New Delhi: The Union cabinet on Monday approved a draft constitutional amendment bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to "economically weaker sections", seen as a desperate move to woo the BJP's core upper caste voters, months ahead of the general election.

The government refrained from making any official declaration as it cannot announce a "major policy decision" outside while the Parliament is in session.

Ministers, however, confirmed the approval by the Union cabinet, hoping it would prove to be a "political game changer" in the elections.

Ally and cabinet member Ram Vilas Paswan tweeted: "The Union cabinet today took the historic decision of providing 10% reservation to poor upper castes. The LJP welcomes it." Off the record, sources listed the following information: The government wants to amend Article 15 of the Constitution to grant 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to "economically weaker sections". The quota will be over and above the 50 per cent reservation ceiling mandated by the Supreme Court and so a constitutional amendment is needed. It will cite economic criteria as justification for the quota and not social backwardness. The quota will apply to all sections who are not covered by reservation, cutting across caste and religion. The government will use this to claim concern for poor, irrespective of their caste or religion, and say that it will benefit even Muslims and Christians and was not only aimed at rewarding the upper caste Hindus.

"Economically weaker sections" are defined as those with: Annual income below Rs 8 lakh.

Agricultural land less than 5 acres. Residential house below 1000 sq ft. Residential plot below 100 yards in a notified municipality. Residential plot below 200 yards in a non-notified municipality area.

While BJP managers sought to term the move a "political game changer", many viewed it as admission of jitters by the party months ahead of the polls.

Party leaders said the government betrayed fears of losing the party's core support base in an election year. Upper caste members of the party feared that the decision at the fag-end of the government's term could be viewed as "yet another jumla" by the core voters of the party.

"If the government was really concerned about the poor upper castes then they should have taken this decision much earlier. Why now, when elections are knocking at the door?" a BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh said. He feared that the constitutional amendment bill will not be passed in Parliament and the proposal will remain only on paper.

Sources said the Rajya Sabha proceedings have been extended by a day till January 9.

The hurried decision was seen more as a "headline management" move by the Modi government facing the heat over the Rafale deal. The government eyed twin benefits, diversion from Rafale and win over the upper castes.

Sources said the government could move the bill in Parliament on Tuesday to puncture the Congress' Rafale attack and compel the party to support the upper caste quota. The Congress would find it difficult to oppose the bill, the BJP feels.

"If the Congress creates din in the House over the Rafale deal and obstructs the passage of the bill then we will paint the party against reservation to poor upper castes," one BJP minister said.

The move appeared to be driven by the BJP's defeat in the three heartland states -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh -- where large sections of the upper castes had openly revolted against the saffron party, protesting against the Modi government's decision to undo the Supreme Court's decision to dilute the SC/ST atrocities act.

The review of the state poll results, party leaders said, showed the upper castes and traders had exercised options like voting against the BJP, pressing the NOTA button and sitting at home, to register their anger. The traders are upset with demonetisation and GST. See Page 6.