Aghast at HC order scrapping increased quotas in Bihar: Tejashwi Yadav

Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday said he was "aghast" over the Patna High Court scrapping the hike in quotas for deprived castes in Bihar.

Yadav also questioned the "silence" in the matter of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and declared that his party would challenge the order before the Supreme Court if the state government failed to do so.

"The CM is keeping silent. He likes to fall at the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Let him do so again for placing reservation laws in Bihar in the ninth schedule of the Constitution,” Yadav told PTI Video.

“I am aghast at the judgement. The BJP had been trying to scuttle the caste survey, which provided the basis of hiked quotas. It is no surprise that such a verdict has come within days of the party's return to power at the Centre,” he said.

The Patna High Court on Thursday struck down its last year's decision to raise quotas for Dalits, backward classes and tribals from 50 to 65 per cent.

The young RJD leader, whose politics draws heavily upon the legacy of his father and party supremo Lalu Prasad, also said he would be writing to the chief minister on the issue.

"I will be writing to him to suggest that he lead an all-party delegation, which would meet the PM and seek remedial measures,” said Yadav.

“As far as legal remedy is concerned, the RJD will move the Supreme Court against the high court order if the state government fails to rise to the occasion,” said the RJD leader, who was the deputy CM when Bihar came out with the report of the caste survey, which pointed out a rise in population of SCs, STs, OBCs and extremely backward classes.

Subsequently, amendments to the state's reservation laws, raising quotas for these groups from 50 per cent to 65 per cent, were introduced by the government and unanimously passed by the legislature.