Uttarakhand: Bill on job reservation for statehood agitationists withdrawn

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Assembly on Saturday withdrew a bill seeking to grant 10 per cent reservation in government jobs to statehood agitationists, who went to jail or sustained injuries during the struggle for creation of the state, on the plea that the scope of the legislation needed to be expanded.

The bill which was tabled in the state Assembly on Friday was withdrawn after a majority of members both from the opposition and the treasury benches argued that the parameters for identifying statehood agitationists be clearly defined before such a legislation is introduced and passed by the House.

Participating in the debate on the bill in the Assembly, Leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt and BJP member Madan Kaushik said the list of people identified as statehood agitationists needed to be expanded and included in the ambit of the legislation before it is tabled and passed by the Assembly.

Congress MLA Subodh Uniyal also suggested that the legislation should be studied and amended in the light of the arguments offered by the members and laid in the House again in the next session.

Admitting that the scope of the bill does need to be widened, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh said even those who did not go to jail or sustained injuries during the peak of the agitation in 1990s were part of the struggle in spirit.

Hence, the bill needs to be redrafted incorporating the changes suggested by the members and then brought on the floor of the House once again as early as possible, she said.

When Bhatt insisted on a clear-cut assurance from her, as to whether or not the bill be brought in the next session of the Assembly, she said, even a special session of the House can be convened for the purpose.

Later, Chief Minister Harish Rawat also endorsed her view saying that the amended bill can be laid on the floor of the House on April 23 when President Pranab Mukherjee is likely to address it.

Mukerjee has been requested to address the Assembly on April 23, when he will be in Dehradun on his way to Kedarnath to attend the opening ceremony of the gates of the Himalayan shrine on April 24.

Rawat also thanked the Speaker and members, both from the opposition and the ruling party for smooth conduct of the proceedings of the House, saying it had set an example for other states to follow.

He also praised first-time members for their inquisitive and enthusiastic approach to debates held inside the Assembly during the 10-day budget session.