Paswan on warpath over job quotas in private firms

Calling upon the Central government to initiate immediate legislative steps to provide for reservation in private sector industries, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) today threatened to launch a country-wide agitation on the issue.

The government has already constituted a group of ministers to study the feasibility of reservation in private sector.

Although the UPA government is committed to it, "capitalist lobby wants to dilute it", LJP President and Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Steel Ram Vilas Paswan said in a press conference here today. "Our party will spearhead the agitation on this issue. Private sector is not above the Constitution of India," he said.

Paswan said 95 per cent of the naxalites belonged to the Scheduled Castes. "It is because of reservation in government jobs that they are now moving from violence to non-violence," the minister said.

In a resolution passed by the central office-bearers of the LJP yesterday, the party sought an amendment to the Constitution to facilitate reservation for SC/ST/OBC/MBC youth in private sector and also 10 per cent reservation to those belonging to economically poor sections of the upper castes.

The LJP also demanded from the government to extend reservation to dalit Muslims and Christians through Constitutional amendments. Presently, dalit Hindus, dalit Sikhs and neo-Buddhists are provided reservation.