Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) presdient Mayawati took a dig at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for asking the Centre for 50 percent reservation in private sector jobs. She said that instead of making ‘hollow statements’ or looking towards the Centre, Nitish Kumar and his alliance partner BJP should make necessary amendments. The BSP chief’s comments came in the backdrop of Bihar CM favouring a 50 per cent reservation for backward classes in private sector jobs and his suggestion for a national debate on it. “Nitish is running a government in alliance with the BJP, which is in power at the Centre. Hence, the two political outfits should not make a fool of the people of reserved class. Instead Nitish should ask the Centre to bring in necessary legislation to facilitate 50 percent reservation in jobs of private companies,” asserted Mayawati.
“The Centre and state governments are outsourcing works to private companies and hence there must be reservation in private sector jobs too just like in government jobs,” Mayawati said. She claimed that her party always advocated the same and had forwarded the demand from time to time when the BSP was in power in the state. Mayawati said that the Centre and state governments should put conditions before outsourcing any work to private players on following reservation policy of the government. Mayawati further said the BSP reiterates its demand of quota for Dalits, OBC in private sector and also the economically poor among upper castes and Muslims. She also demanded quota in promotions by amending the Constitution.