Patna: Reservation should be implemented in the private sector on the basis of social and educational backwardness as envisaged in the Constitution, chief minister Nitish Kumar asserted on Monday.
He also batted for quota in promotion in government jobs, which was implemented by the Bihar government but stayed by Patna High Court. The matter is now pending in the Supreme Court.
"Reservations should be implemented in the private sector. Today, the private sector provides more jobs in comparison to the government sector," Nitish said on the sidelines of his Lok Samvad (public dialogue) programme at his 1 Aney Marg residence in Patna.
The chief minister called for a debate on the issue. "The final decision with regard to reservation in private sector should be taken in Parliament. I could just give my opinion on the matter, but it is the Parliament that has to take the decision," he added.
Nitish said the criteria for reservation in the private sector should be the same as that for government jobs - "social and educational backwardness".
Political pundits read an attempt by Nitish to thwart RJD chief Lalu Prasad from projecting himself as the champion of backward castes.
Lalu has been continuously raising doubts over the intentions of Mohan Bhagwat after the RSS chief called for a review of reservation before the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls. Despite a series of clarifications from BJP bigwigs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lalu's running with the quota ball proved a turning point in the Assembly elections, many experts feel.
The RJD chief has also demanded the release of the findings of the socio-economic caste census, a report on which is still pending publication at the central level.
"Lalu is trying to put Nitish in the dock on social justice," said a political leader who has spent time with both Nitish and Lalu. "To counter him, Nitish has grabbed the reservation agenda and expanded its demand to the private sector and various agrarian communities across the country. He has even taken the first step towards it by introducing quota in personnel outsourced by the government."
