The Maharashtra Assembly on Monday passed a resolution urging the Center to provide 2011 census data to enable the State Backward Classes Commission to prepare empirical data of the OBC population.
The Maharashtra Assembly on Monday passed a resolution urging the Center to provide 2011 Census data to enable the State Backward Classes Commission to prepare an empirical data of the OBC population, so that the number of its members in local bodies. To restore political reservation.
The resolution, moved by NCP leader and state Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, was passed by voice vote amid an uproar by members of the opposition BJP. The House also saw two adjournments on the issue.
BJP members came to the well of the House and raised slogans against the state government, as Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said the motion was “politically motivated and would serve no purpose”.
He said the apex court has asked the Backward Classes Commission to conduct an empirical inquiry to ascertain the political backwardness of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The BJP leader accused the state government of not doing anything on the demand of the court.
Fadnavis said there were “eight crore mistakes” in the 2011 census data, while there were “69 lakh mistakes” in the (census) figures. Hence, it was not given, he said.
To this Bhujbal asked, “If there are mistakes in the data, why was it not corrected and corrected? Why were you sitting on figures for six years? Is it not being given for OBCs (quota issue), so how can the state government start an empirical check for the OBC population if the 2021 census has not started due to COVID-19? he asked.
The minister said that when Fadnavis was the chief minister, he had written a letter to NITI Aayog on August 1, 2019, seeking census data.
“Why are you playing with words like empirical inquiry or data? We are seeking census data with the Centre.
The Supreme Court has asked the State Backward Classes Commission to conduct an empirical inquiry, which can be done only after providing the census data,” he said.
When Presiding Officer Bhaskar Jadhav proposed for vote, BJP members Girish Mahajan and Sanjay Kute climbed onto the Speaker’s podium and argued with the Speaker. Thereafter, the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
Later, when the House resumed, Sunil Prabhu (Shiv Sena) and Nawab Malik (NCP) alleged that BJP members “misbehaved” with the presiding officer and assaulted him in the Speaker’s chamber.
“Action should be taken against them,” he said. After this, Deputy Speaker Narhari Jirwal adjourned the house for 15 minutes. Later speaking to reporters outside the House, Fadnavis said that the BJP members did not misbehave with the presiding officer.
He said, “Ever since we exposed the government’s lies, some new twist is being given so that the House does not run. Bhujbal has not given factual information in the House. The central government has not used census data for its schemes. has done.” said.
The Supreme Court earlier this year quashed the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies observing that the total number of seats earmarked for various communities, including scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, is less than 50 per cent of its total strength. must not exceed.
Earlier in the day, Fadnavis said the Supreme Court had asked for an empirical inquiry (in the issue of OBC population) through the State Backward Classes Commission.
“The apex court has not asked for census data. The resolution is time pass, face saver and misleading, and will not give anything.
But, we will support the proposal as we want to stand with OBCs.”
Read also: Durga Puja celebrations in Bengal to be shorter for the second consecutive year
Read also: OBC proposal to be tabled in Assembly by Maharashtra government ‘misleading’: Fadnavis
.