Tejashwi Yadav hit out at the BJP and its NDA allies over the Supreme Court's judgment on reservations
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav lashed out at the BJP and its NDA allies this morning, demanding the centre "immediately file a review petition" against last week's Supreme Court order that said reservation for promotion in government jobs was not a fundamental right and that the court could not compel states to provide reservations without "quantifiable data" showing an imbalance in representation of certain communities.
In a series of tweets Mr Yadav targeted Bihar Chief Minister and JDU boss Nitish Kumar, the LJP's Ram Vilas Paswan and Republic Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale - all of whom are members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), asking them to respond.
Mr Yadav also warned the centre of a "revolt" if it failed to either file the petition or introduce an amendment to the Constriction in the ongoing budget session of parliament.
"Reservation is a constitutional provision. If the provisions of the Constitution are not followed, then how will this country move forward? Venerable leaders Ram Vilas Paswan-ji, Nitish Kumar-ji, Ramdas Athawale-ji... please respond to the BJP ending reservations," Tejashwi Yadav tweeted in Hindi.
"We challenge the NDA government at the centre to immediately file a review petition against this order of the Supreme Court or amend the Constitution in the current parliament session to make reservation a fundamental right... (or) from the streets to parliament there will be a revolt," he added.
The Supreme Court judgment provoked an immediate reaction from both the opposition and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies.
The Congress said it "respectfully" disagreed and would raise the issue "inside and outside" parliament.
Chirag Paswan, son of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who is part of the BJP-led NDA, said his party "does not agree... demands government restore reservation as provided under Constitution".
Ram Vilas Paswan, meanwhile, has invited SC/ST MPs to his residence today to hold a discussion on the issue.
On Friday a two-member top court bench, consisting of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta, responded to an Uttarakhand High Court order from April 2019 that overturned a 2012 state government order stopping departments from providing reservation in promotions to SC/ST employees.
"There is no doubt the state is not bound to make reservations. There is no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions. No mandamus can be issued directing states to provide reservations," the court said.