Congress seeks removal of 50% cap on quota

New Delhi, June 30

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh has called for a constitutional amendment to remove the 50 per cent limit on reservations for SC/ST and OBCs, a cap imposed by the Supreme Court. In a sharp critique of the Janta Dal United of Nitish Kumar, Ramesh questioned their silence and inaction on this crucial issue despite their alliance with the BJP.

“The Congress party demands that the Constitution be amended so that the 50 per cent limit, which has come from the Supreme Court, should be removed for the reservation of SC/ST and OBC,” Ramesh said. He pointed out that while the JD(U) has passed a resolution regarding category status, they have not taken any substantial action to pressure their ally, the BJP, either in Patna or Delhi.

Ramesh challenged the JD(U) leadership, asking, “Will the Chief Minister say to the Prime Minister that we are supporting you, give us special category status, get the caste census done, and remove the 50 per cent limit?” He criticised the party for its inaction, emphasising that while it is easy to pass resolutions, it is much harder to take effective action. “They are silent on this, so it is very easy to say but it is very difficult to do and there is a huge difference between doing and saying,” he added.