Congress continues to push caste politics in Gujarat, Digvijan Singh joins in

Ahmedabad

Congress leader Digvijay Singh today backed reservation in private sector jobs for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), but advised the Centre to take corporates into confidence before acting on a central panel’s recommendation in this regard.

The initiative may fail if corporates are not taken into confidence, he said when asked about suggestion made by National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) that 27 per cent quota be provided in private sector jobs for OBCs.

During a brief interaction with the media at the airport here, the Congress General Secretary supported the recommendation.

“Our Constitution has provision for reservation to SCs and STs. OBCs are also given reservation under Constitution.

Though OBCs have been given reservation in Government jobs, the Centre should think about giving them reservation in private sector jobs also,” said the Congress stalwart.

“However, if we do not take corporate houses into confidence, this initiative may not get desired success,” said the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister.

NCBC, a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has recommended that a law be enacted under which private entities, including businesses, hospitals, schools, trusts, etc. should reserve 27 per cent of jobs for OBCs.

The Commission has written to the Ministry and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in this regard.

Digvinaj told reporters that the Patidars should be given reservation. ‘The community is in the category of castes getting reservation benefits in Madhya Pradesh. Then why it can’t be given similar benefits in Gujarat,’ the former chief minister of the neighbouring state said.

With inputs from PTI