Congress protests verdict on job quota

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 16

The Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee today held a protest against the decision of the Supreme Court regarding reservation in government jobs and promotions.

The SC and OBC wings of the committee, led by former Union Minister Pawan Bansal, staged a demonstration near Valmiki Temple in Sector 24 here.

Bansal said Narendra Modi ji says that 130 crore people of the country have made him the Prime Minister, and he was with them. At the same time, he forgot that among those 130 crore people, there were members of SC, OBC and tribal communities too.

“Our Constitution has provided reservation to them. The BJP government spoke of abolishing their fundamental right,” he said.

City Congress president Pardeep Chhabra said while his party always worked for SCs, STs, minorities, Dalits and tribals, the BJP Government was allegedly anti-Dalit.

Pramod Kumar, coordinator of the ST wing of the All-India Congress Committee, alleged that no single Judge could take a decision on the fundamental rights given by the Constitution. A Constitutional Bench was needed for the purpose.

March held in P’kula

Panchkula: The local unit of Congress today staged a protest march against the BJP argument in the backdrop of a Supreme Court order that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments or promotions.

The apex court order upheld the contention of the BJP-led government in Uttarakand. Led by former Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan and Kalka MLA Pardeep Chaudhary, local Congress leaders submitted a memorandum, addressed to President Ram Nath Kovind, to Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja. Ravinder Rawal, former Mayor and Congress leader, said, “The Central Government should come up with a law to protect the rights of the STs/SCs and OBCs.”

Ravinder Rawal, Upinder Kaur, Sudha Bhardwaj and Ranjeeta Mehta were among Congress leaders who took part in the protest.