New Delhi: Waxing eloquent on The Constitutional Amendment Bill, that seeks to provide 10 per cent quota for “economically weaker” sections among the general category people, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told Opposition that most parties had promised such a measure in their 2014 manifestos and thus, if they want to support the Bill, they should do it wholehearted.

‘If you want to support the Bill, don’t do it grudgingly….Do support it with big heart,’ Mr Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha while participating in the debate on the draft law that has taken the most Opposition parties by surprise.
He said the Congress manifesto of 2014 had spoken on these lines and it is important that the commitment that the political parties make during election is also given the legal coverage and the sanctity of Parliament.
Amid certain remarks from Congress members, Mr Shashi Tharoor said ‘Thank You for implementing our manifesto.’
Mr Jaitley said it will be a real test for the Congress party on the floor of the House whether they will support the Bill or not.

In his inimitable style, Mr Jaitley also took a dig at the Communist parties and said ‘while a measure is being taken to help the poor, Indian Communists should not create a world record for themselves by opposing the same.’
Immediately, M B Rajesh of CPI-M said ‘we have not opposed it’.

The Finance Minister was again witty in his remarks and said ‘Thank you for not doing so.’

When Congress members asked Mr Jaitley on the timing of bringing this draft legislation, the Minister said,’ ….Before 2017, the Congress also never made a demand for reservation for Patels in Gujarat.’

The minister justified the government move to try to give reservation to upper case economically weaker sections, saying over the years, the tendency had come to stay that in the name of helping the caste weaker sections, the upper caste people were feeling discriminated.