Congress conspiring to not approve OBC Bill: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to not approve the bill to confer constitutional status on the Backward Classes Commission with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

"It's a conspiracy of the Congress not to approve the amended Bill in the Rajya Sabha. All parties have recommended about the Bill in the select committee," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said after the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting in Parliament here.

The minister's remarks came after the government on Monday suffered an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the Backward Classes Commission, with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting was chaired by party President Amit Shah.

"In the meeting, (Amit) Shah said that when the party issues a whip it must be followed by all the MPs. Party has taken a serious note of it and it has warned its members not to repeat their act," Kumar said.

"The party will speak to those members who were absent in the meeting," he added.