New Delhi: The United Progressive Alliance government and the Samajwadi Party on Monday appeared headed for a showdown on the bill providing for reservation to SC/STs in government job promotions with its key outside supporter vowing to disrupt the remaining part of Rajya Sabha session if the measure is passed by the House. The government was also caught in the middle of the SP-BSP rivalry on the quota bill coming under intense pressure from Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati for its quick passage just days after her party backed it in both Houses of Parliament on FDI in retail.
Mayawati said she will be forced to take a tough stand if the amendment bill is not passed. The Winter Session of Parliament is due to conclude on December 20. Bharatiya Janata Party, the principal opposition party, on its part indicated that it is likely to support the bill with some amendments, saying it favours all measures for social justice provided they are within constitutional parameters. Amid diverse pulls and pressures from SP and BSP, government said it was holding consultations to find a way out of the deadlock.
"We will disrupt the House and not allow it to function if the bill (for reservation to SC/ST in job promotions) is passed...We will continue to oppose the bill and we are ready for suspension," SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters. Asked if the party will disrupt the House proceedings if the government gets the bill passed amid the din, he said, "If they are adamant to get it passed, then we will do it."
On the issue of the bill being introduced by Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy in Rajya Sabha on Monday, the SP leader said, "The whole House was in turmoil. (It's introduction) is not according to the norms. It is unconstitutional. It will lead to hatred between communities and will create division in the society."
BSP threatened to take a "tough stand" in case the government does not help bring order in the Rajya Sabha and get the bill passed. It also charged BJP with deliberately stalling the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha and accused SP of acting at its behest to stall the bill.
"We will see for two-three days more. We will see government's stand on the issue. What they do and what the Chairman of Rajya Sabha says. Then, we will decide and a take a tough stand. The SC/ST bill is a very serious issue for us," Mayawati told reporters.
Meanwhile, addressing party workers in Lucknow, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav termed provision of reservation in promotion as a "dangerous" move meant to spread animosity in the society. He said, "due to this system juniors would become seniors and vice versa."
Yadav alleged that it was a "conspiracy " to divide the society therefore SP was opposing the constitution amendment bill. He said that the bill was also against the concept of social justice.
Hopeful of emergence of a third front after 2014 general elections, the SP chief claimed that in 2014, neither Congress nor BJP would come to power at the Centre, and the third front would get constituted automatically. He also alleged the Congress and BJP were indulging into "shadow fighting and have tacit understanding" as they do not want the third front.
Yadav, while raising the issue of reservation to Muslims, said, the Congress-led UPA government constituted Rangnath Mishra Commission and Sachar committee. Sachar in its report had said that condition of Muslims was worst than Dalits. "SP has raised the demand of reservation to Muslims in jobs in Parliament and one day the government would be forced to give them benefit, till then the party's struggle would continue," the former UP chief minister said.
He said that he himself struggled for the rights of backwards after which recommendations of Mandal commission were accepted. Meanwhile, sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath is likely to talk to SP and BSP in a bid to ensure that Parliament proceedings are not disrupted.
While SP has been opposed to the quota in promotions, BSP has been supporting it. Members of both parties have been vociferously raising their demands, leading to disruption of proceedings in the Upper House. At the informal consultations began today, Ansari is understood to have tried to persuade the leaders of the two parties to allow the House to function.
The sources said the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is likely to take the initiative in talking to the leaders of the two parties to end the impasse. Members of both the parties, which had last week helped the UPA win the vote on FDI retail, have been repeatedly obstructing proceedings in the Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said his party would continue to stall Rajya Sabha proceedings on the issue and would do so even at the risk of facing suspension.
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