Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati Tuesday welcomed the union cabinet’s approval to a bill to give Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes reservation in job promotion.

The BSP chief, talking to reporters here, appealed to the main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party, to let the bill be passed in this session, which ends Sep 7.

“I will appeal to the NDA, specially BJP, who have been stalling parliament over the coal block allocations. I would request them to pass this bill as it has already been discussed in the all party meeting, and needs no more debate in parliament,” Mayawati said.

“I would urge them, whether it takes half an hour, one hour or one and a half hour, to get it passed in this session,” she said.

“We have fought hard for this bill. It will allow SCs and STs to stand on their feet,” she said.

She added that if reservation is also granted to the other backward classes, it would be a welcome move that her party would support.

BSP’s regional rival Samajwadi party, which presently forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, has opposed the bill, calling it unconstitutional.

BJP, meanwhile, has agreed to support the bill. However, party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS that some members had reservations and may seek amendments to the bill.