In an escalated offensive, the Congress party, on Monday, intensified its call for the removal of UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar over the introduction of draft guidelines concerning the "de-reservation" of positions in higher education institutions. Rahul Gandhi, a prominent figure within the party, leveled allegations suggesting a "conspiracy" orchestrated by the BJP and RSS to dismantle the reservation system benefiting SC, ST, and OBC categories.
Expressing disdain over the proposed guidelines, the Congress had previously urged for their immediate withdrawal, citing potential implications for reserved positions. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clarified that no posts would undergo de-reservation, affirming the government's commitment to upholding reservations as per the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Act, 2019.
In a Hindi post on a social media platform, Gandhi lambasted the BJP and RSS for their purported endeavor to "eliminate" the representation of marginalized sections. He demanded an apology from Kumar to the entirety of the backward classes for his alleged role in the matter.
Gandhi elucidated, "The new UGC draft harbors a sinister plot aimed at abolishing reservations for SC, ST, and OBC categories in higher educational institutions. Out of approximately 7000 reserved posts across 45 central universities, 3000 remain vacant, with only 7.1% allocated to Dalits, 1.6% to tribals, and 4.5% to backward class professors."
Accusing the BJP-RSS coalition of harboring intentions to jeopardize opportunities for underprivileged groups in higher education, Gandhi decried the move as a threat to the aspirations of social justice proponents and an attempt to marginalize deprived sections.
Asserting a commitment to "real justice" as opposed to mere symbolic gestures, Gandhi pledged the Congress's unwavering dedication to safeguarding social justice. He reiterated that vacancies in educational institutions would exclusively be filled by qualified candidates from reserved categories.
During a joint press conference featuring Rajesh Lilothia, Congress' SC Department chief, and Udit Raj, Chairman of Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress, allegations were made regarding the dilution of reservations under the current government's tenure. Lilothia demanded Kumar's immediate dismissal and a formal apology to the entire 'Bahujan' community, condemning his alleged alignment with the RSS.
Raj echoed similar sentiments, attributing discriminatory practices in interviews to caste biases among evaluators, citing studies purportedly indicating disparities in evaluation processes.
