New Delhi: Finance Minister P Chidambaram has admitted that the Government is yet to establish the basis for the proposal to reserve 27 per cent seats in higher educational institutes for Other Backward Classes but says the reservation policy won’t be changed.
The Supreme Court on May 29 gave the Government eight weeks to explain the proposal.
The Government is still working on an answer, and Chidambaram says no review should be expected.
"There is no ground to review whether there should be reservations or not. If a review means questioning the justification of reservations, I say no," Chidambaram said CNN-IBN’s Karan Thapar in Devil's Advocate.
The Government had last month given a written commitment to medical students and doctors that it will examine their demand for a review of the country's reservations policy. Nothing like that is going to be done, said Chidambaram, who is a member of the group of ministers looking into reservations for OBCs.
"As I understand the Government's reply there is no ground to review whether there should be reservations or not. There is no ground at all"
Chidambaram said he did not know what Union Minister Oscar Fernandes meant in his written response to students that their demand for a non-political commission to review the reservations policy would be "examined":
"I don't know. You must ask Mr Fernandes. I've not seen that document," he said.
"The Government's position is the position that will be taken in the Cabinet. If Mr Fernandes has said it will be examined, (and) I'm sure he means every word, then it will be examined. (then) it will come to the Cabinet for a decision. I cannot now say what the decision will be."
Asked what reply the Government would give to the Supreme Court regarding the basis on which it proposed to reserve 27 per cent seats, he said: "The ministry has to put together all the material available to it to reach the conclusion of 27 per cent. The material will be put together. Wait for the material."
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He denied that this meant that the Government had made the proposal without having a formal basis. "The Government will answer in a proper forum, in the Parliament, in the Supreme Court (but) not in an interview.
"The ministry has to put together all the material available to it to reach the conclusion of 27 percent." The Government will compile its answer on the basis of various state reports on OBC numbers, the Mandal report and the NSSO surveys:
"If the Tamil Nadu Sattanathan report is based on evidence, if the Tamil Nadu Ambasankar report is based on evidence, that represents 6 crore people who make up the 100 crore… Any other report that will be available in every other state, all that material will be put together. The Mandal (report) will be referred to, the NSSO survey will be referred to and a proper affidavit will be filed (in the Supreme Court)."
Speaking about his own personal position, Chidambaram said he supported reservations in higher education for OBCs and was totally convinced that the policy has worked in southern states.
"I support reservation. Amongst all the instruments available to us for affirmative action, the one that has proved most effective is reservations. Experience tells us that—The experience of southern states. It all began in the state of Mysore, almost 75 years ago. In Tamil Nadu we have had reservations for over 60 years. Undoubtedly they have succeeded. I know from experience that reservations have helped many, many, many members of the OBCs to rise in the southern states. I am totally convinced about that."
Watch the complete interview with P Chidambaram on Devil's Advocate, Sunday, June 11 at 2030 hrs (IST), only on CNN-IBN.
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