The growing discontent among a section of the political class over the Supreme Court’s decision blocking reservation in appointment to faculty positions in premier medical colleges, including AIIMS, could spell trouble for the Government in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The apex court had held that there can be no reservation in the appointment for faculty posts in specialty and super-specialty courses in medical colleges.
“We want the Government to act on this issue. Otherwise the Opposition will raise it in a big way in the coming session,” JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav told reporters here on Friday. The Monsoon Session of Parliament starts from Monday.
Pointing out that several political parties had raised this issue in an all-party meeting called by the Government recently, Yadav claimed that leaders were of the unanimous view that unless the matter was resolved before the ensuing session of Parliament, its functioning would be difficult.
The Government could come under pressure to act as more parties have started joining hands on this issue.
PMK leader and former Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss met Yadav at his residence here on Friday. He also expressed strong reservations against the judgement. The JD(U) leader claimed DMK chief Karunanidhi had also called him up on Thursday and expressed his support on the issue.
Yadav has also held talks with CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury and leaders of SP and BSP. He claimed it was agreed that if the Government did not have any immediate solutions before the Monsoon Session, it should come out with a Constitutional Amendment Bill so that the above judgement was completely nullified.
The meeting also discussed the need for the Government to get the judgement stayed immediately so that the functioning of the Monsoon Session is not disturbed, Yadav claimed.
The JD(U) has advised the Government to resolve the matter at the earliest, for social justice in the country and in the interest of the functioning of the Monsoon Session.
“I am sure that MPs in both Houses, who have been fighting for centuries for social justice in the country, would understand the gravity of the above judgement and not allow (any business to be taken up) in the coming session,” a party release here quoted Yadav as saying.
Yadav had last week written to MPs of all parties against “the anti-reservation mindset of the judiciary” while opposing the SC ruling that there can be no quota in appointments to faculty posts in specialty and super-specialty courses at medical colleges.