New Delhi, June 12: First it was Arjun Singh. Now it is Meira Kumar who could give the Centre and the Congress a headache.

The social justice and empowerment minister has added to the quota controversy by suggesting that reservation for Scheduled Castes should be raised from 15 per cent to 16.23 per cent following an increase in their population.

So long, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes together enjoyed 22.5 per cent reservation.

In an interview to PTI, Meira said according to the 2001 census, the Dalit population had grown from 15 to 16.23 per cent and as many as 68 new castes and sub-castes had been included in the SC category.

The Congress sounded neutral on her proposal. “This is an inter-ministerial proposal, so we cannot comment on it,” said spokesman Abhishek Singhvi.

“Besides, the law (which has a 50 per cent cap on reservation) will have to be changed if it is to be implemented. The Congress will react only if there is a concrete proposal before the cabinet.”

Terming the issue as one with “national implications”, Singhvi said any decision will be preceded by “consultations with the Congress and other stake-holders”.

He denied that Meira was put up by the party to float her ideas. “Even a partially right thing uttered at a wrong time cannot be right,” one senior functionary said of the proposal.

Congress sources said Meira was “playing to her constituency” as she has not been able to carve out a niche for herself among the heartland’s Dalit population.