Lok Sabha passes quota Bill for economically weak in general category

Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present in the House when the Bill was passed. The government will table the Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday

8:46 PM

"The BJP had promised two crore (20 million) jobs every year and by now 10 crore (100 million) jobs should have been created," Thomas said, adding that the unemployment rate was high and the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy had pointed to job losses.

8:46 PM

Thomas said the government can get the Bill passed due to its majority but it has not been sincere in its approach. The Bill, he said, provides for reservation in employment and educational institutions and asked "where are the jobs".

8:46 PM

Thomas said the Narasimha Rao government had tried giving reservation based on economic criteria but it was set aside by the apex court.

8:46 PM

"People who are affluent have been brought in. The purpose of the government is the coming election. The government has lost in three states but solution is not this," said Congress leader K V Thomas.

8:46 PM

Congress' K V Thomas said the UPA government had made strict eligibility conditions for its welfare measures, including the food security Act.

8:46 PM

The former union minister said other eligibility conditions, including of size of a flat, were liberal and some MPs may also fall in that criterion.

8:46 PM

Congress' K V Thomas said families with a monthly salary of Rs 63,000 will be eligible for reservation benefits and it was "not a small amount".

8:45 PM

You are butchering Indian democracy: Congress to govt 

Congress leader K V Thomas said the quota Bill had been brought without proper homework and the opposition members were not even given time to go through the entire provisions of the Bill. "You are butchering Indian democracy," he said. 

8:40 PM

Quota Bill brought in haste after poll losses: Congress

 

The Congress on Tuesday said in the Lok Sabha that the government had brought the Bill for 10 per cent quota to upper castes "in haste" after its loss in three Hindi heartland states and demanded it should be sent to a joint parliamentary committee for scrutiny. (Read more here) 

7:19 PM

7:14 PM

Mayawati questions timing of quota Bill, calls it an 'election stunt'

 

Terming the latest upper caste proposal an "election stunt", Mayawati said that it had come too late. "The decision coming just before the general elections appears to me an election stunt and a political trick and one which has not the right intentions behind it." 

7:13 PM

Quota format quite old, time has come to review it: Mayawati

 

"The quota format is quite old now and time has come to review it and the people coming under its ambit should also be given reservation benefits where they are not getting it," Mayawati said. 

7:13 PM

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said that while she welcomed the move, she would also like the 50 per cent reservation quota in jobs for the SC/ST and OBCs to be reviewed.

7:13 PM

Mayawati supports job quota for weaker upper castes

 

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday extended her support to the Centre's proposal to give 10 per cent reservation in jobs for the economically weaker sections among upper castes. 

7:09 PM

10% quota only to divert attention from Rafale deal: AP CM

 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the announcement of the Centre providing for 10 per cent reservation for the economically backward people was made in view of the Lok Sabha polls and also to divert the attention from the alleged Rafale scam.