With the Supreme Court on Monday upholding the economically weaker sections (EWS) quota, the Bharatiya Janata Party lauded the decision and said it is a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his "mission" to provide social justice to the country's poor.
The Congress also welcomed the Supreme Court verdict and said the amendment providing for it was the result of a process initiated by the Manmohan Singh government.
BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh said, "Supreme Court upholds the legality of EWS reservation for unreserved sections. Another big credit for PM Narendra Modi's vision of Gareeb Kalyan. A big boost in the direction of social justice ."
Echoing the view, BJP general secretary C T Ravi said the verdict is yet another victory for Modi in his mission to provide social justice to India's poor.
The Congress party said the Modi government is yet to clarify its position on an updated caste census.
In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Congress welcomes the Supreme Court judgment upholding the 103rd Constitutional Amendment that provides for the 10 per cent reservation quota for economically weaker sections belonging to castes other than Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs.
"The amendment itself was the result of a process initiated by Dr Manmohan Singh's government in 2005-06 with the appointment of the Sinho Commission that submitted its report in July 2010. Thereafter, widespread consultations were held and the Bill was ready by 2014. It took the Modi Sarkar five years to get the Bill enacted," he said.
Ramesh said socio-economic and caste census was completed by 2012, when he was the Union rural development minister, and the Modi government is yet to clarify its position on an updated caste census, something the Congress supports and demands.
In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court by a majority view of 3:2 upheld the validity of the 103rd Constitution amendment providing 10 per cent reservation to people belonging to the economically weaker sections in admissions and government jobs.
The top court said the law on EWS quota does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.
