After welcoming the Supreme Court’s verdict in favor of 10 percent reservations for the Economic Weaker Sections among the general category, the Congress party indicated on Saturday that it will rethink its stance. This U-turn by the party came after strong objections from leaders from southern states, especially Tamil Nadu.
On Monday, 7th November 2022, the Congress party welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgment. Not only this, the party tried to take credit for the 10 percent EWS reservations for the upper castes. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “The 103rd constitutional amendment providing a 10 percent EWS quota was the result of a process initiated by the Manmohan Singh government in 2005-2006 with the appointment of the Sinha commission that submitted its reports in July 2010. Thereafter, widespread consultations were held and the Bill was ready by 2014. It took the Modi sarkar five years to get the Bill enacted.”
Jairam Ramesh added, “It also bears mention here that the Socio-Economic and Caste Census was completed by 2012 when I myself was the Union Rural Development Minister. The Modi Sarkar has yet to clarify its position on an updated Caste Census, something that the Congress party supports and demands.”
Later on Saturday, 12th November 2022, Jairam Ramesh gave another statement signaling the party’s decision to review its stand on the judgment. He pointed out that while three judges had declared that SCs, STs, and OBCs may be excluded from the EWS group and had offered various justifications for each of their opinions, two justices had come to the contrary conclusion that their removal from the EWS category was unconstitutional.
This U-turn in the party’s position about the upper castes getting reservations on an economic basis has come a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin held an all-party meeting to reject the 103rd constitutional amendment. It is notable that the Congress party was also a part of that meeting. Not only this, Congress leaders P. Chidambaram and his son and MP Karti Chidambaram are also not in support of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
In addition, Jairam Ramesh’s comments were at odds with the party’s promises made in its Lok Sabha election manifestos in 2009 and 2014 to provide reservations for the EWS category for all groups without impacting the already-existing reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs. According to reports, many other leaders in the party were also unhappy with the eagerness shown to welcome the Supreme Court’s decision without considering its political consequences. Congress leader Udit Raj had even called the Supreme Court casteist.
सुप्रीम कोर्ट जातिवादी है, अब भी कोई शक! EWS आरक्षण की बात आई तो कैसे पलटी मारी कि 50% की सीमा संवैधानिक बाध्यता नही है लेकिन जब भी SC/ST/OBC को आरक्षण देने की बात आती थी तो इंदिरा साहनी मामले में लगी 50% की सीमा का हवाला दिया जाता रहा।
— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) November 7, 2022
Besides, P Chidambaram and Abhishek Manu Sanghvi were concerned about the legal aspect of the decision. P Chidambaram said, “The powerful dissent of the two Honourable judges underlined the truth that the basic structure of the Indian Constitution did not permit exclusion. There are poor among all castes and communities. The moot question is will the poor be treated equally under the Constitution?”
He added, “We live in times that require a wise and compassionate understanding of the basic structure of the Constitution. I am sure the Supreme Court will be petitioned to revisit the issue on which the Honourable judges were divided.”
