Mysore/Mysuru: Former Congress MP R. Dhruvanarayan has urged the Centre to file a review petition against the recent Supreme Court ruling that reservation in promotions is not a fundamental right.

Addressing a press meet at Congress Bhavan here yesterday, Dhruvanarayan said that the SC order on reservation in promotions was shocking. The Prime Minister should convene an all-party meeting at the earliest and file a review petition, he said.

Pointing out that a similar Apex Court ruling on SC/ST Atrocities Act had met widespread opposition across the country, he claimed that the Supreme Court rectified the order after the Centre convinced it on the issue.

Maintaining that the Constitution clearly explains reservation in jobs and promotional reservation for SC/ST communities, Dhruvanarayan alleged that some ‘Manuvaadis’ were manipulating the Constitution to deprive the SC/STs of their rights for reservation.

Flaying the BJP and RSS  for acting against the interests of Social Justice, Dhruvanarayan alleged that silent efforts were being made to undo the reservation quota since the BJP came to power at the Centre six years ago.

Alleging that the BJP does not believe in the Constitution, the former Congress MP alleged that the SC/ST student scholarship has not been revised since the past six years, which is an example of the BJP’s anti-social justice stance.

Bemoaning that Dalit MPs have shown little concern over the SC ruling, he urged them to exert pressure on the Union Government to pass a Bill in the Parliament that safeguards promotion reservation in  jobs for Dalit communities.

Referring to Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) victory in the recent Delhi assembly polls, Dhruvanarayan said that the people of Delhi had rejected hate politics of the BJP. Asserting that  AAP won because of its developmental programmes and people-connect, the former MP said that the Congress should introspect on the party’s poor performance and added that he would welcome the inclusion of Pariwar, Talwar and Siddi sub-sects in the list of ST communities, he added.

Former MLA Kalale Keshavamurthy, City Congress President R. Murthy, District President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, leaders Manjula Manasa, S.C. Basavaraj,  and M. Lakshman were present.