Mayawati supports job quota for weaker upper castes

Lucknow, Jan 8 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday extended her support to the Centre’s proposal to give 10 per cent reservation in jobs for the economically weaker sections among upper castes.

In a statement here, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that while she welcomed the move, she would also like the 50 per cent reservation quota in jobs for the SC/ST and OBCs to be reviewed. “The quota format is quite old now and time has come to review it and the people coming under its ambit should also be given reservation benefits where they are not getting it,” she said.

Terming the latest upper caste proposal an “election stunt”, Mayawati said that it had come too late. “The decision coming just before the general elections appears to me an election stunt and a political trick and one which has not the right intentions behind it.

“Martino won the 2013 Supercopa with Barcelona in Spain and reached two Copa Libertadores semifinals, leading Newell’s Old Boys, in 2013, and Paraguay’s Libertad, in 2016, to the semis of South America’s premier club tournament.Under Martino, Newell’s Old Boys won the 2013 Copa Libertadores and Libertad took home three Paraguayan league titles.

Several of the national soccer team’s top players are past their prime, but Mexico has a long list of players who are 23 or younger and ready to step in and make their mark. Among the players who Martino will be able to use as building blocks for the national team is talented forward Hirving Lozano, who plays for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

Other promising players are forward Victor Guzman; midfielders Diego Lainez, Roberto Alvarado, Orbelin Pineda, Erick Gutierrez, Daniel Lajud and Jonathan Gonzalez; defenders Cesar Montes and Edson Alvarez; and goalkeeper Raul Gudillo, among others. With his ability to get the most out of his players, Martino is expected to help the team’s youngsters develop quickly and leverage the experience of veterans for a big run at the World Cup.

Martino will make his international debut at Mexico’s helm in friendlies against Chile on March 22 and Paraguay on March 26 in the United States. The March 26 contest will pit the former Paraguayan national team coach against Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio, who now coaches the South American squad and led Mexico to the World Cup in Russia last year.

–IANSajb/sed