Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Talks About Respect and Reservation in Bihar
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi highlighted that despite being from one of the lowest castes in Bihar, he has been given a place in the cabinet. This, he said, shows that the BJP-led NDA government respects Scheduled Castes and everyone else.
Manjhi’s Statement on Reservation
Addressing reporters, Manjhi said, “I belong to the lowest caste in Bihar and was given a place in the cabinet. This shows that respect is given to the Scheduled Castes and to everyone. And as far as taking away reservations is concerned, where is it being said? Everywhere reservations are being talked about. If there is a talk of touching reservations then I am in the cabinet, Nitish Kumar is in the cabinet. We can talk to them in the cabinet also.”
Tejashwi Yadav’s Criticism
On August 14, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav criticized the BJP, saying, “What is the BJP doing? It is scrapping the 65 per cent reservation and 10 per cent EWS. We demanded that it be placed in Schedule 9 but BJP props up its people in court to scrap it. So, we are part of it in the Supreme Court as well. We will fight it out in court as well as on the streets. BJP means ‘Badka Jhootha Party’. Except for lying, spreading confusion, and spreading hatred, it has no other work.”
Tejashwi also urged the BJP to bring an ordinance against the Supreme Court’s order on the creamy layer, stating, “If they are in favour of SC/ST reservation, then why is there talk of a creamy layer? Reservations were given by Ambedkar Sahib after seeing the discrimination that people faced. Those who are backward should come into the mainstream. BJP is anti-Dalit and anti-reservation.”
Supreme Court’s Ruling
The Supreme Court ruled that states have the power to sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs and STs) and said that the authority concerned, while deciding if the class is adequately represented, must calculate adequacy based on effective and not quantitative representation. The ruling was made by a majority judgement of 6:1.
Doubts Revealed
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a person who is in charge of a specific department in the central government of India. They help make important decisions for the country.
Jitan Ram Manjhi -: Jitan Ram Manjhi is a politician from Bihar, a state in India. He has held important positions in the government, including being the Chief Minister of Bihar.
Scheduled Castes -: Scheduled Castes are groups of people in India who have historically faced discrimination and are given special support by the government to improve their social and economic status.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, which is one of the major political parties in India. It is currently leading the central government.
NDA -: NDA stands for National Democratic Alliance, which is a group of political parties in India led by the BJP. They work together to form the government.
Reservation -: Reservation in India refers to a system where a certain percentage of seats in education and jobs are set aside for people from disadvantaged communities, like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Rashtriya Janata Dal -: Rashtriya Janata Dal, or RJD, is a political party in India, mainly active in the state of Bihar. It is led by Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family.
Tejashwi Yadav -: Tejashwi Yadav is a politician from Bihar and the son of Lalu Prasad Yadav. He is a leader in the Rashtriya Janata Dal party.
Ordinance -: An ordinance is a law made by the government without going through the usual process in the parliament. It is used in urgent situations.
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions on legal matters and ensures that laws are followed correctly.
Creamy Layer -: The creamy layer refers to the wealthier and more educated members of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in India. They are not eligible for certain reservations meant for less privileged members of the OBC.
