Tejashwi Yadav Accuses Center of Misleading Parliament on Reservation Quota

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday leveled serious accusations against the BJP-led central government, alleging that it had misled Parliament over the inclusion of a hiked quota for deprived castes in Bihar in the 9th schedule of the Constitution to shield it from legal scrutiny.

The Mahagathbandhan administration in Bihar last year urged the Centre to incorporate the increased reservation from 50 to 65 percent in state government jobs and educational institutions into the 9th schedule. Notably, the Supreme Court had capped reservations for backward classes at 50 percent in 1992.

Yadav, during a press conference, said that Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma's written response on July 31 was misleading. Yadav maintained that incorporating such reservations is the Centre's duty, prompting the Mahagathbandhan's request. He added that the RJD would challenge Verma's statement before the Supreme Court, where an appeal is pending regarding the Patna High Court's nullification of the state's new reservation laws.

(With inputs from agencies.)