Call for Assembly session to bring law on quota hike: K'taka Congress to Govt
Raichur, Oct 21: With the BJP government in Karnataka deciding on the ordinance route for SC/ST quota hike in the State, Opposition Congress on Friday urged it to convene a special legislature session to enact a legislation to this effect and then take it to the Centre for constitutional amendment.
Otherwise, the decision on the hike in reservation would seem like an eyewash ahead of the Assembly election next year, the Congress said.
"At present the reservation in the state is 50 per cent, now with this increase it will go up to 56 per cent, also 10 per cent has been given to economically weaker sections, it will be a total 66 per cent. For this reservation to sustain, it has to be given legal protection through a constitutional amendment by including it under the 9th schedule," said Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah.
"They (BJP) have decided to bring in an ordinance, but my suggestion is call a special legislature session within a week; instead of passing an ordinance, pass an act. Your party (BJP) is in power at the Centre, go to Delhi, camp there and see to it that the act is included in the ninth schedule, to prove your commitment," he added.
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to promulgate the ordinance increasing the SC/ST reservation after the Governor's assent. The ordinance would raise reservation for SCs from 15 to 17 per cent and for STs from 3 to 7 per cent.
This would take the total reservation tally to 56 per cent in the State, over the 50 per cent cap fixed by the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the government said it would recommend to the Centre to bring the SC/ST quota hike under the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to give it legal protection. But, today, the Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said the government would push for it, once it takes a decision on quota demands made by other communities.
Stating that he had doubts over the ruling BJP's commitment to reservation hike, Siddaramaiah said, "They were silent for 2.3 years, and under the pressure from Congress they decided to hike reservation quota for SC/STs, but now have decided to bring in an ordinance...Looks like BJP is trying for an eye wash ahead of election, so that they (tell) people they have done their bit..."
Once again urging the government to call for a special session for a day or two, he said, "Congress will wholeheartedly support the reservation hike bill, if it is introduced in the Assembly and in making it an act. Then take that act to the Centre and ask them to include it under the ninth schedule."
The hike is also being seen with a political prism, he said.
Responding to a question, the Congress Legislature Party leader, accompanied by State party chief D K Shivakumar and others, said the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by the Congress MP Rahul Gandhi would be fruitful.
"People are voluntarily participating and walking with Rahul Gandhi. This will help Congress in getting a majority hundred per cent in the next election," he added.
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Hemant Karkare dying at hands of Kasab ‘Karmic Justice’: Shefali Vaidya on Col. Purohit’s promotion
Shefali Vaidya’s ‘karmic justice’ remark on Hemant Karkare sparks controversy.
Columnist Shefali Vaidya said that the death of former ATS chief Hemant Karkare was “almost karmic justice,” while expressing support for the promotion of Shrikant Purohit.
In the post, she wrote, “Col Purohit to be made Brigadier! This is the least Indian Army could do to restore the honour of an officer who was wrongly accused, framed on false charges, tortured beyond imagination and lost many years of his life thanks to anti-national, evil Congress.”
She further stated, “the way Maharashtra ATS Hemant Karkare died at the hands of Kasab was almost karmic justice, for having tortured Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya and others in the fake Hindu terror case. Ditto for disgraced cop Parambir Singh!”
Her post came after reports that Colonel Purohit, who was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case last year, has been approved for promotion to Brigadier.
Defence sources cited by Indian Express had indicated that less than a month after his retirement was put on hold by the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), he has been approved for promotion to Brigadier.
According to the report, he will now continue in service for at least two more years, up to the age of 56, which is the retirement age for Brigadiers, compared to 54 for Colonels.
Purohit had reportedly approached the AFT, stating that the 17-year-long trial had affected his career progression and denied him the opportunity to be considered for promotions.
Though he was granted bail in 2017, he remained under a Discipline and Vigilance (DV) ban, which was lifted in July 2020. Due to this, his promotion to the rank of Colonel was reportedly withheld in 2021.
The controversy around remarks on Karkare is not new.
Earlier, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee had highlighted instances of social media users allegedly making derogatory comments about the slain officer.
Hemant Karkare, a 1982-batch IPS officer, served as the chief of the Mumbai ATS and led the investigation into the 2008 Malegaon blasts. He was killed in action on November 26, 2008, during the 2008 Mumbai attacks while responding to terrorist activity near Cama Hospital. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra in 2009.
According to the Mumbai Police chargesheet, Karkare, along with Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte and Inspector Vijay Salaskar, was killed in an exchange of fire with Pakistani terrorists, including Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismail Khan.
The officers were ambushed near Rang Bhavan Lane while moving towards Cama Hospital.
According to a report by India Today, BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur had earlier claimed that Karkare died as a result of a “curse,” while Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar had alleged that an “RSS-linked cop” was responsible for Karkare’s death, citing claims from a book by S.M. Mushrif.
