Assam Congress leaders and MLAs, including former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, urged President Ram Nath Kovind to take steps to ensure protection and reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Caste (OBC) as a fundamental right, both in appointments and promotions in government jobs.

The leaders in a letter to the President urged him to take necessary steps to ensure that the “fundamental right of reservations in government jobs is secured and protected”. The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee members submitted the memorandum to the President via the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro).

It may be mentioned that the Supreme Court ruled that the states are not bound to make reservations, nor is reservation in promotions a fundamental right. The apex court stated that it cannot order state governments to provide reservations.

The Assam Congress leaders alleged that after the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power at the Centre, there has been an abolition of the SC/ST Sub-plan. “There was also an attempt to dilute the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 which the BJP government was compelled to remedy by amendment recently following nationwide protests,” the leaders stated in the memorandum.

“Over 43,000 cases of atrocities were reported against our brothers and sisters belonging to the Dalit community is just 2017 as per the NCRB data. Nearly 25& of all such cases were reported to have occurred from the BJP ruled state of Uttar Pradesh. This is the latest in a series of attacks on the fundamental rights and existence of our fellow citizens who belong to these protected castes and tribes,” the memorandum added.

The Congress leaders further urged President Kovind to treat the matter with urgency and take necessary steps to ensure that the fundamental right of reservation in government jobs is protected.

Photo credit: @INCAssam