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Arjun Singh: Stand on quota unabated
Published on Sun, May 14, 2006 at 08:25, Updated on Sun, May 14, 2006 at 16:38 in India section
Tags: Medical Students, Arjun Singh , New Delhi
New Delhi: Sticking to his stand on the OBC quota issue, HRD Minister Arjun Singh attacked Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda for opposing reservations in Central educational institutions.
"The Chairman of the Knowledge Commission says he was unaware of the Constitution Amendment on reservation," said Arjun Singh.
"If he is that ignorant, how can he be the chairman of the Knowledge Commission?" he added.
A majority of the Knowledge Commission had opposed the extension of reservations in Central educational institutions as proposed by the HRD Minister.
Singh, however, criticised police action on striking medicos protesting his proposal for reservations in centres of higher education.
"I don't support that police action," he said, but asked protesting students to take into account the interest of "large sections of the deprived people."
The HRD Minister said the reservation proposals have again been submitted to the Union Cabinet for its consideration.
Asked whether the issue should be referred to a Group of Ministers in the light of the controversy it has sparked, Singh said that the power to take such a decision rests solely in the hands of the Cabinet.
He also rebutted reports that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was not informed of the proposals.
"The Prime Minister was definitely aware of this. In fact, he helped this amendment law being passed after satisfying the anxiety of OBC MPs. How can I say he was not aware of it?" the Minister said.
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