BJP-led Centre has diluted quota system through privatisation: Congress

Congress accuses the Modi government of weakening reservations through privatization, claiming that PSUs played a vital role in inclusive growth. They argue that privatization has led to job losses, especially among Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs, and that the government's focus on corporate interests has undermined social justice principles. The Congress general secretary emphasizes that disinvestment and contractualization have contributed to this dilution, highlighting the high percentage of contract workers and the significant number of disinvestments overseen by PM Modi.

The Congress on Monday alleged that the Modi government has ''diluted'' reservations through privatisation and claimed that the BJP's ''willy-nilly'' handover of state assets to a couple of ''the PM's friends'' shows that for him, corporate interests will always trump the wellbeing of people. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that each privatisation is accompanied by the end of reservations in employment for Dalits, Adivasis, and OBC families. ''Each contractualisation is a way of sidestepping reservations for Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC families,'' he said in a post on X.

''The Modi government has diluted reservations through privatisation. These are the facts: 2.7 lakh central PSU workers have lost their jobs in PM Modi's Anyay Kaal. Share of contract workers has shot up from 19% in 2013 to 43% in 2022! PM Modi has overseen 72% of all disinvestments since the beginning of the disinvestment process in 1991,'' Ramesh said.

He said each privatisation is accompanied by the end of reservations in employment for Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC families. ''Each contractualisation is a way of sidestepping reservations for Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC families,'' Ramesh said.

PSUs play a crucial role in inclusive growth, both through the development of backward regions and through the generation of employment for vulnerable communities, he said.

''The BJP's willy-nilly handover of state assets to a couple of the PM's friends at throwaway prices, and the massive job losses that followed have highlighted that for PM Modi, corporate interests will always trump the wellbeing of the people,'' Ramesh alleged.

''Whether you call it privatisation or 'monetisation' -- as they have increasingly resorted to - it is still a sale of national interests and a dilution of social justice principles, the Congress general secretary said.

He alleged that there has been an indiscriminate sale of PSUs in the last 10 years and reservation failed due to loss of lakhs of government jobs.

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