lJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday lashed out at the Opposition for blocking the Bill seeking to accord constitutional status to the OBC commission and asserted the Government will ensure its passage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had questioned the Opposition’s move to block the Bill in the Rajya Sabha even when the lok Sabha had passed it and when the legislation was aimed at benefitting the backward classes.
The Bill for according constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was referred to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha after the opposition blocked its consideration on April 11.
“We are committed.... For how long they (opposition parties) can delay it. Maximum 2-3 months. We will get it passed,” Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, told reporters here.
The Bill seeks to create National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC), which will have judicial powers and constitutional status.
“I don’t understand why they (Opposition parties) are opposing this Bill. They think that Government has taken a big step for benefit of people belonging to the OBC (and so they are stalling it). The OBCs supported the NDA in a big way in the just concluded assembly elections. They are rattled. They are trying to delay its passage in the Rajya Sabha by sending the bill to the Select Committee. This is wrong. This is against the OBC community and their rights,” Paswan said.
The Minister said the NDA government was committed to its passage and the opposition parties cannot block it for long.
“We will get it passed. Their mentality is against SC/ST and OBCs,” said the Minister, and added it was because of the “double standards” of the opposition parties that the poor and marginalised sections of the society were yet to get reservation in promotions.