'Where are Nitish & Paswan?': Tejashwi claims plot to do away with quotas, dares Centre

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday demanded that the Centre file a review plea in the Supreme Court against its judgment that reservation in promotions for government jobs is not a fundamental right.

'We challenge the NDA government to...'

"Why do BJP and NDA governments want to abolish reservation? Do Dalits, backward and tribal Hindus who get reservations are not Hindus? Why does BJP want to take away reservations of these deprived Hindus?" he tweeted in Hindi.

"We challenge the NDA government at the Centre to immediately file a review petition against this order of the Supreme Court or amend the Constitution in the current parliament session to make the reservation a fundamental right. If it's not done, there will be a protest from the streets to the Parliament," he said in another tweet, continuing to allege that the Centre wants to do away with reservations. 

'Ram Vilas Paswan, Nitish & Athawale should make their stand clear'

Tejashwi also said Bihar Chief Minister and JDU leader Nitish Kumar and Union Ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Ramdas Athawale supported the BJP on purportedly abolishing reservation and should make their stand clear. "Reservation is a constitutional provision. If the provisions of the constitution will be implemented but only then how will this country run? Ram Vilas Paswan, Nitish Kumar and Athawale who are supporting BJP in abolishing reservation should make their stand clear," he said.

The issue reached the Parliament as well, as the Opposition parties targeted the Centre over it. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi speaking on the SC judgment said, "This is Supreme Court's decision. Government of India has nothing to do with it. The Social Welfare Minister will make a statement at 2:15 pm today."

READ | Mallikarjun Kharge slams BJP-led Centre over SC's verdict on reservation in promotion

READ | Bhima-Koregaon case: Pune court reserves order on transfer of probe to NIA

Supreme Court's judgment

In a major judgment, the Supreme Court has ruled that reservation in promotions for government jobs is not a fundamental right. The Apex court observed that the states cannot be directed to provide promotions to the members of the SC/ST community.
"There is no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions. No mandamus can be issued by the court directing the state government to provide reservations," the top court said in its verdict on Friday.

The Supreme Court had passed the judgment in a case with respect to the validity of the Uttarakhand government's decision to fill up posts without providing reservation to SC/STs in government jobs.

READ | SC refuses to stay HC order on reservation to Marathas; matter to be heard on Mar 17

WATCH | Congress' Salman Khurshid raising 'Azadi' slogans at anti-CAA Jamia protest

(with ANI inputs)