Reserve 38% medical, engg seats for STs, SCs, demand Opp MLAs on dharna

Bhubaneswar: Demanding implementation of the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies (ORV) Act in Odisha, Congress and BJP MLAs staged a dharna in front of the Chief Minister’s chamber at the State Assembly again on Wednesday.

The legislators of Opposition parties alleged though the State government had promised to keep reservation for SC and ST students at 38% in Higher Education, the decision is not being implemented in medical and engineering courses.

Krushna Chandra Sagaria, Congress MLA, said; “Implementation of the ORV Act has been a long-standing demand and was raised in the Assembly. Even memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister. But the demand has not been heard. While educational institutions providing higher education have provision for 38% reservation to STs, SCs, the rule is not being applied in engineering and medical courses.”

Tribal Welfare minister Sudam Marandi and later SC&ST Development minister Lal Bihari Himrika talked to the protesting legislators as per the directive of Speaker Niranjan Pujari. However, the Opposition MLAs did not relent.

Last week, the legislators sat on a dharna demanding fulfillment of their demands. But after a discussion with the Speaker, the protest was called off. Today, they sat again on the dharna alleging the demand has not been fulfilled yet.