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BJP sharply divided over quota issue

Source:PTI
May 30, 2006 13:33 IST

Divisions have appeared within the Bharatiya Janata Party's national executive over the party's stand on the reservation issue.

Though the BJP's draft political resolution supported Other Backward Classes quotas in higher educational institutions while suggesting that the creamy layer be kept out, not everyone is happy.

Former Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya and BJP legislature party leader in Maharashtra Gopinath Munde think the party's stand is "confusing" and "sending wrong signals," party sources said.

The stand could harm the party's interests in South India where the OBC population is substantial, the sources quoted the Andhra Pradesh leader as having said.

Some leaders are also understood to have demanded action against some BJP big guns, including V K Malhotra and Sushma Swaraj, for visiting the agitating medicos and taking sides with the anti-reservationists.

Former disinvestment minister Arun Shourie is understood to have opposed reservation completely.

Nevertheless, the BJP adopted a political resolution endorsing what party president Rajnath Singh had said on quotas in his inaugural address on Monday.

Trying to tread a middle path on the issue, the draft resolution said: 'The BJP had supported the constitutional amendment to provide reservations in higher educational institutions. However, while doing so, any attempt at divisiveness must be avoided. Social fabric of the society must not be damaged.'

Also see
Complete Coverage: The Reservation Issue

Source: PTI
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