Upper-caste quota harmful, says Pawar

Kolhapur: Amending the Constitution to increase the reservation limit would be "harmful" to its basic principles according to experts, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Sunday, days after Parliament cleared a bill to provide 10 per cent quota to economically backward sections among the general category.

He said such last-minute decisions by the Narendra Modi government with an eye on polls will not be helpful in swaying the mood of the electorate.

"According to the opinion of experts, amendment in Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution to allow reservations above 50 per cent will be harmful to the basic principles of the Constitution," Pawar said in Kolhapur, replying to queries on the Centre's move. "The Supreme Court cleared its stand on the policy of reservations more than two times. The SC decisions state that reservations cannot be above the limit of 50 per cent," he added.

He claimed that the Centre has planned to have an extended budget session to pass some more bills with an eye on the coming general elections. "The Modi government is trying to take some decisions in a hurry after sensing the mood of the people. But people are well aware about such decisions taken after four-and-a-half years. People will see these decisions as jumlas (poll rhetoric not to be taken seriously)," he said.

Pawar further said political films such as The Accidental Prime Minister, based on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Thackeray, a biopic on Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, won't have an impact on voters. "People will not change their opinions after seeing these films. I don't think these films will play any crucial role in the coming elections. People will vote on the basis of their experiences."