Rajput Mahasabha Backs Vikramaditya Singh on Swarna Commission, Criticises OBC Welfare Mandal’s Remarks.
Shimla:
The Rajput Mahasabha Himachal Pradesh has strongly supported Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh’s demand for the formation of a Swarna Commission for the general category and criticised the OBC Welfare Mandal for describing the minister’s statement as unfortunate.
In a joint statement, Rajput Mahasabha state president K. S. Jamwal and general secretary Vijay Chandel said that calling the proposed Swarna Commission unnecessary was inappropriate and could undermine social harmony and create divisions in society.
The organisation argued that when commissions and boards exist for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, a similar mechanism should be considered to address the concerns of economically weaker families belonging to the general category.
The Mahasabha claimed that the general category constitutes more than 58 per cent of Himachal Pradesh’s population and said thousands of families continue to live below the poverty line. It maintained that establishing a Swarna Commission would help address their grievances and ensure equality under Article 14 of the Constitution.
Welcoming Vikramaditya Singh’s support for the long-standing demand, the organisation said the initiative should be viewed as an effort to protect the interests of economically disadvantaged people rather than as caste-based politics.
On the OBC creamy layer issue, the Mahasabha said families earning more than ₹8 lakh annually and those occupying senior government positions should be assessed in the context of their socioeconomic status.
The organisation clarified that it opposed no commission established for any community and appealed to all sections to maintain social harmony. It also urged other ministers and legislators to support the formation of a Swarna Commission.
