New Delhi:
The NDA government today justified the UPA's decision to make Jats eligible for reservation by including them in the Central list of Other Backward castes. The previous government's decision was not meant to gain political mileage but was made in public interest, the Centre told the Supreme Court.
The Centre's response came as part of an ongoing hearing of a petition by the OBC Reservation Raksha Samiti, which had asked the Supreme Court to quash the Jat quota, announced by the UPA just before the general elections. It was contrary to the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes, which was against the inclusion of Jats in the OBC list, the petition said.
On April 9, the court had refused to stay the UPA government's decision.
Today, the NDA government said the UPA had indeed overruled the commission. But it was done in view of the findings of an expert committee of the Indian Council for Social Science and Research. Plus, nine states had already categorised Jats as Other Backward Castes, the Centre said.
The National Commission for Backward Classes had opposed a quota for Jats on grounds that the community cannot be classified as "backward" and such a move will deprive more deserving groups of central benefits.
Quota for Jats was seen as an attempt by the Congress to improve its poll prospects in nine states where the community has a strong presence - Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Bihar.
But after its thumping victory in general elections and ahead of the assembly elections in Haryana, the BJP government is seen to be endorsing the Jat cause.