Mayawati says Congress playing a double game on SC/ST Quota Bill

New Delhi: 2.08 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day following uproar over bill for quota in promotion and other issues.

1.15 pm: The BJP on Thursday said that the Congress should first come out clean in the coal blocks allocation controversy before taking up any other agenda in Parliament. "The government is trying to hide in the shade of corruption and Parliament session. They should first agree to the BJP and cancel coal block allocations. Only then can we tackle other agenda," BJP Spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

1.01 pm: BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday said that the Congress is playing a double game on SC/ST Quota Bill. "If the Congress wants bill passed, should get house in order first. And find a middle way on coal controversy. Coalgate is equally important. Government should take those opposing bill on board. Government is playing a double game on bill. They don’t want to upset any party," she said.

On the BJP’s role, she said, "The BJP has told my party that they don't want to divert attention from coalgate. We want extension of Monsoon Session by 10 to 12 days.

12.03 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm.

12.01 pm: Rajya Sabha resumes.

11.15 am: Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that the government will try to pass the SC/ST Quota Bill in Parliament on Thursday.

11.07 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 noon over CAG report on coal.

11.05 am: The BJP has rejected Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's request to allow the passing of the pending bills, including the SC/ST Quota Bill.

In a bid to try for the passage of the Bill providing quota in promotions to SC/ST in government jobs in Parliament, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Thursday met top BJP leaders – LK Advani, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj.

The UPA does not have majority in the Upper House and a Constitutional Amendment Bill requires two-thirds majority. Congress has issued a whip to its members to support the measure.

However, passage looks unlikely with the opposition emerging from within the UPA.

The Samajwadi Party has openly opposed the measure and it has been now joined by UPA constituent DMK, which too has demanded quota for other backward classes (OBCs) in the Bill.

On the rival side also, divisions came to surface with JD(U) supporting the Bill and Shiv Sena strongly opposing it.

Introduction of the Bill started another slugfest between the Congress and the BJP with the Opposition party dubbing the move by the ruling party as a diversionary tactic from the coal block allocation issue.

BJP has 49 members in the 245-member Rajya Sabha while Congress has a strength of 70. BSP has 15, SP and TMC have nine each, DMK seven and NCP ten members.

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