NEW DELHI: The government on Monday informed Lok Sabha that it was not a party in the Supreme Court which has ordered that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments.

Making a statement in the House, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said the Centre was also not asked to file an affidavit on the issue.

He said the top court order pertains to a decision of the Uttarakhand government taken in 2012 when the Congress was in power in the state.

This led to protests by Congress members who walked out of proceedings.

The minister said the issue is being discussed in the government at the "highest level" and it will take a holistic view on the matter.

Opposition parties targeted the government over the Supreme Court order that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments, saying the Centre has failed to defend the reservation system.

Hitting back, the government said the Congress is trying to politicise a sensitive issue.

"This is my charge that the Congress is politicising the sensitive issue," Defence Minister and deputy leader of the House Rajnath Singh said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also urged Speaker Om Birla to expunge remarks made by opposition members against the government.

Birla said he would look into the issue.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) targeted the government, saying there has been an onslaught on SC and ST reservation since the Modi government came to power.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot will make a statement on the issue in Lok Sabha in the afternoon.