From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 8: Blaming the opposition Congress for blocking the bill for granting Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that the Modi government will not refrain from according constitutional status.

Addressing a meeting of the backward Viswakarma community in Bengaluru on Sunday, the BJP leader said the government had decided to provide constitutional status to the NCBC to ensure social and economic justice to all backward castes in the country.

The Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, in April. However, the Congress blocked the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, he said.

"You people need not beg for social justice. It is your right," he asserted.

The Modi government has constituted a committee for sub-categorisation of various castes in the OBC list to ensure justice to all small and marginalised castes, Singh said.

Despite opposition from the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress, internal reservation was given in Uttar Pradesh when he was the Chief Minister of the State (2000-02), Singh said.

In Karnataka, a 30% reservation has been given to OBCs, but unfortunately only a few major backward castes have benefited under various government schemes and jobs.

The Union Home Minister was obviously targeting Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had promised 70 % reservation benefits to backward classes.

State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa and the religious seers of the Viswakarna community attended the programme.