Hardik Patel welcomes OBC Bill, wants survey of caste backwardness in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Aug 9 (PTI) Gujarat Congress leader Hardik Patel on Monday welcomed a bill brought by the Centre to restore the rights of states to identify Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and urged the BJP government in the state to initiate a survey to identify such social groups.

Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha.

The bill aims to clarify provisions in the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Bill to restore the power of states to have their own lists of backward classes after identifying them.

As per the Lok Sabha website, the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill, 2021, which empowers the states to identify OBCs, was introduced on Monday but still "Pending".

Taking a dig at the young opposition leader the ruling BJP said Hardik, who once led an agitation to get OBC status for Patel community, is unaware of the official process for adding a caste in the state OBC list.

"With the passing of the Bill in the Parliament, state governments can now add any caste in the OBC list. This Bill was passed in Lok Sabha by the Centre with the support of Opposition. I personally welcome this Bill" said Hardik in a statement.

"I now urge the Gujarat government to conduct a survey of various general category castes for the purpose of understanding the economical and social backwardness of these castes and recognise them as OBCs if they fall in the criteria" said the working president of Gujarat Congress.

Taking a dig at the Congress leader, Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave said its the state OBC Commission which conducts the survey, not state governments.

"I wonder how Hardik Patel, who led the quota agitation, is unaware about the fact that surveys to check the backwardness of castes are conducted in every state by their respective OBC Commissions, which are independent bodies, not by state government," said Dave.

"The Commission, after conducting the survey to check social, economical and educational backwardness of any caste, submits its recommendations to the state government for further action. I think Hardik Patel is not aware about this process" said Dave.

The 102nd Constitution Amendment Act of 2018 inserted articles 338B, which deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes, and 342A that deals with the powers of the president to notify a particular caste as an SEBC and the power of Parliament to change the list. Article 366 (26C) defines SEBCs.

The Supreme Court has dismissed the Centre's plea seeking a review of its May 5 majority verdict that held that the 102nd Constitution amendment took away the states' power to notify SEBCs for the grant of quota in jobs and admissions. PTI PJT PD RSY RSY