RSS Leader’s reservation remark: NDA’s Bihar allies make strong pitch for quota
LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and RLSP Upendra Kushwaha LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and RLSP Upendra Kushwaha
TWO DAYS after RSS’s publicity chief Manmohan Vaidya said he favours a review of the reservation policy, at least two NDA allies from Bihar on Sunday made a strong pitch for quota. While Lok Janshakti Party chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan vowed to “protest from Parliament to streets” if there is any change in the reservation system, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, headed by another minister from Bihar, Upendra Kushwaha, demanded reservation for Extremely Backward Castes (EBC) in proportion to their numerical strength.
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Calling reservation a “constitutional right” that “nobody can abolish”, Paswan said reservation was implemented in the country under the Pune Pact between B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi.
Insisting that it is “not a charity granted by someone”, he asserted that quota benefits cannot be abolished and said his party has been fighting in favour of reservation. “Be it the Mandal Commission or any issue related to the welfare of Dalits, my party has been fighting in favour of reservation. If there is any alteration or change in the reservation system, my party will protest against it from Parliament to streets,” Paswan said.
RLSP, which is organising an ati pichchda (extremely backward) convention in Patna Monday, said the party will seek “a raise in reservation percentage to the Extremely Backward Castes in proportion to their population” besides the constitution of an Extremely Backward Caste Commission at the national level for identifying EBCs and ensure that they enjoy reservation benefits in jobs and education. The party will also, during the convention, seek Bharat Ratna for former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur, who belonged to an EBC. The RLSP’s convention will be inaugurated by Kushwaha. “RLSP is in favour or providing quota to EBCs in proportion to their population. The party is in favour of reservation in media, courts and private sector,” the party’s national general secretary and its chief spokesperson Fazal Imam Mallick said in a statement.
On Friday, after observing that there should be a “time limit” to reservation during a session at Jaipur Literature Festival, Vaidya had clarified that the RSS favours reservation, and it should remain as long as discrimination continues.
However, Vaidya’s remarks invited strong criticism from JD(U), RJD and Congress, who are part of the ruling alliance in Bihar. JD(U) called upon all parties to raise the issue ahead of the upcoming polls in Uttar Pradesh. The party, it is learnt, plans to take up the issue at a key meeting on Monday. Reservation is a sensitive issue in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Both RLSP and LJP have been votaries of quota and their silence on remarks such as Vaidya’s can cost them dearly in Bihar, analysts say.
Paswan, however said there is no need to get disturbed because of anybody’s “personal views” and assured that reservation will continue as long as caste system exists in the country.
“Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clearly stated that as long as he is alive, reservation wil continue. Reservation is a constitutional right and nobody can abolish it,” he said.
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