Cutting across party lines, members in the Lok Sabha on Thursday supported a bill proposing reservation for students of Other Backward Classes in central educational institutions.
However, the parties differed on the implementation process.
Bharatiya Janata Party members wanted the reservation to be extended to minority institutions and favoured the exclusion of certain castes that have progressed following the implementation of the Mandal Commission's recommendations.
On the other hand, United Progressive Alliance constituents, including the Congress, wanted reservation for Muslims as well and its implementation in one go.
Initiating the discussion on Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006, BJP MP Rasa Singh Rawat urged the government to extend provisions of the bill to minority institutions.
He said since the implementation of the Mandal report, state governments have been including more and more castes in the OBC list and no caste has been excluded.
Congress MP K V Thanckabalu urged the government to set up a ministry for OBCs, besides additional budgetary support for welfare schemes for them.
