State staff protest quota in promotions
LUCKNOW: A day after the central government asked the state governments to implement quota in promotion, several state government employees held a rally – ‘Chetavni Daud’ – in Lucknow on Sunday to protest against the order.
Over a thousand people, including people employed in government sector, their family members and local politicians, participated in the rally, which started from the 1090 roundabout and terminated at Lohia Dwar near the CM’s residence.
“The objective of our rally was to apprise the chief minister about the repercussions of introducing reservation in promotion of government employees,” said Pratap Chandra, head of a local political party. Chandra was one of the organisers of the rally.
“Our protest will grow stronger if there is delay in retracting the order,” added Pratap. Reportedly, a vacation bench of the Supreme Court earlier this week asked the central government to provide quota to people belonging to SC/ST communities as per law. However, the SC has not specified the ‘law’ according to which these promotions are to be done.
The UP government has not issued any statements regarding the development till date.
But several groups fear that the state government might implement the advisory. “Though the advisory by the central government doesn’t specify any state government, we fear that the BJP government of UP may implement it. However, the state government will have to pass an order to do so, which we will oppose,” said Shailendra Dubey of Sarvajan Hitay Sanrakshan Samiti.
Reservation in promotion has been a raging issue in the country for over two decades. It has also been used by political parties to appease voters from special categories. In UP, Bahujan Samaj Party has been an avid advocate for providing reservation to people from SC/ST class in promotions. In fact, the BSP reiterated its demand to implement reservation days before the SC’s order.
BSP chief Mayawati implemented the order soon after being elected as CM in 2007. The order was reversed and barred by the SC in 2012, according to Dubey. Barring the BSP, other parties have not been so upfront on the issue. While discontent is brewing against the advisory, Dr Lalji Prasad Nirmal, president of Dalit Mahasabha, has lauded the Prime Minister for protecting rights of people from SC/ST community. “The advisory issued by the central government proves that the PM and BJP are genuinely concerned about protecting the rights of people from backward class,” said Nirmal. The Dalit Mahasabha president was recently made the chairman of Schedule Caste Finance Corporation, a week after the mahasabha felicitated CM Yogi Adityanath with ‘Dalit Mitra award.’