NDA ally Jitan Ram Manjhi seeks more speaking time for SC/ST MPs in Parliament

NEW DELHI: Union minister and NDA ally Jitan Ram Manjhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking action on a request for adequate speaking time for MPs from the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities during parliamentary discussions on important bills.In his letter, Manjhi said BJP MP Gajendra Singh Patel, who represents Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, had raised the issue during an “NDA MPs Group Dialogue Meeting” held at Manjhi’s Delhi residence on August 5.Patel had specifically requested that SC/ST MPs be given sufficient opportunity to raise issues concerning their communities on the floor of the House, Manjhi said.The Union minister has asked the Speaker to take further action on Patel’s request and issue necessary directions to the concerned authorities.Speaking to PTI, Patel confirmed that he had raised the issue and said the time allocated to SC/ST MPs should be increased further, as the speaking time allotted to each political party is divided among its MPs.“It is not that we do not get time, but we should get more time. More issues concerning SC/ST communities should be raised,” he said.Patel said the request was aimed at ensuring that issues concerning SC/ST communities receive adequate space during parliamentary discussions, while acknowledging that MPs from these communities do get opportunities to speak.NDA differences over SC/ST reservationEarlier last month, differences within the NDA came to the fore over the contentious issue of sub-categorisation of SC/ST reservations, with Manjhi and fellow Bihar-based Union minister Chirag Paswan taking divergent positions on the question of reviewing the reservation system.The debate intensified after HAM(S) president and Bihar minister Santosh Kumar Suman reiterated his party’s demand for sub-categorisation of SC/ST reservations, arguing that the most deprived communities should receive a greater share of the benefits.The Supreme Court’s August 1, 2024 Constitution Bench judgment allowing states to create sub-categories within SC and ST reservations has added a new dimension to the debate.Chirag strongly opposed any review of reservation and said Manjhi and his son should resign if they supported such measures.“The constitutional provision of SC/ST reservation is based on social discrimination and not economic status. If they want to change the Constitution, then debate the issue in Parliament. Those who talk or think about reviewing reservation should first resign, as they actually want to completely end it and reduce its scope,” Chirag said.He maintained that reservation was in place yesterday, is in place today and would continue in the future.Reacting to Chirag’s demand, Suman said he was ready to resign. “As far as resignations go, we are ready. My younger brother’s party is the bigger one; they have more numbers than us and are politically third-generation too — so let them take the lead. Let him step forward by resigning and we are prepared to resign alongside him,” he said.Suman maintained that reviewing reservation did not mean abolishing it. He said HAM(S) was seeking sub-categorisation, or a “quota within a quota”, so that communities at the bottom of the social and economic hierarchy could benefit.He cited Musahar, Bhuiyan, Dom, Halkhor and Nat communities as groups that continue to face deprivation and discrimination.JD(U) national general secretary and MLA Shyam Rajak, meanwhile, opposed any discussion on reviewing reservation and warned that tampering with the system could create serious social tensions. He said reservation was a constitutional right, not charity.The reservation debate has particular political significance in Bihar, where Dalit communities are socially diverse. The Nitish Kumar government introduced the Mahadalit category in 2007 to identify the most deprived Dalit communities.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.