SP, Shiv Sena thwart promotion quota bill in RS

Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena on Thursday thwarted an attempt in the Rajya Sabha to take up for passage the contentious Bill providing for quota in promotion for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs.

The Constitution Amendment Bill, which was introduced in the House on Wednesday amid commotion and scuffle between members of SP and Bahujan Samaj Party in the House, could not be taken up even as Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy rose to move it for consideration and passage.

Members of SP and Shiv Sena trooped into the Well, shouting slogans against the proposed legislation. Their protest was coupled with that of BJP members, who were shouting slogans to press for the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the coal block allocation issue.

The House saw uproar by members of SP, Shiv Sena and BJP when it met at 2 pm after two adjournments over the coal issue, as soon as the Chair asked to move the Bill as per the listed business.

P J Kurien, who was in the Chair, asked the protesting members to resume their seats so that the Bill could be considered. However, as the din continued, he adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier, at noon, SP members shouted slogans stating "reservation in promotion will not be allowed" while BJP members were chanting demands for the prime minister's resignation. Six of the SP members led by Naresh Agrawal were in the Well.

Mohammad Adeeb, an Independent member of the Upper House with the support of both Congress and SP, also joined the protest in the Well.

The Bill seeks to circumvent a Supreme Court order quashing such a decision of the Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan governments.