Bhubaneswar: Politics heated up in the state over the state Cabinet’s decision for reservation of seats in medical and engineering colleges for students who pass out from government-run schools.
Questioning the move of the Cabinet, BJP leader Lekhashree Samantasinghar said, “The state government has failed to ensure basic facilities like providing text books and uniforms to students in the schools.
Now, the government should clarify what promoted them to announce this reservation in medical and engineering colleges for students of government-run schools in the state.”
The government is yet to implement 27 per cent reservation for OBC students and 10 per cent for economically weaker section students in education and the recruitment process, Samantasinghar said. Almost all states provide at least 27 per cent reservation in education and employment sector while the state government is lagging behind in this direction, she alleged.
The BJP demanded that the government convey a special session of the Assembly to pass bills for reservation of seats for OBC and economically weaker section. Senior Congress leader Suresh Routray too criticized the move of the government and said, “The government doesn’t have the power to implement it. The decision of the Cabinet is just an eyewash.”
Reacting to this, BJD spokesperson Elina Dash said, “We are shocked that the BJP is opposing such a historic and pro-student announcement of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik providing reservation for students to study in government-run schools.” “We hope this is the personal opinion of Lekhashree and not that of her party BJP,” she said.
She hoped that entire country including BJP ruled states would follow this decision in some time. The BJP is actually unnerved by the popularity of this decision taken by Naveen Patnaik.
PNN
