JD(U) today slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for seeking a review of the reservation policy and said this amounts to “interference” and is an attempt to “weaken” the SC, ST and other backward communities.
“Janata Dal (United) totally rejects and condemns the proposal of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat regarding appointment of a committee to review the reservation policy of the SC/ST and backwards.
“The reservation policy is yet to reach its goal and in such condition, any kind of interference to it, including effort to review (it) would go against the weaker and marginalised sections of the society. So JD(U) condemns the RSS chief’s proposal of interference in the reservation policy, which is an attempt to weaken the SC/ST and OBCs,” party general secretary K C Tyagi said in a statement.
Bhagwat had yesterday pitched for a review of the reservation policy, contending it has been used for political ends and suggesting setting up of an apolitical committee to examine who needs the facility and for how long.
The JD(U) leader said the reservation being given to the educationally and socially backward communities was possible only after a long discussion in the constituent assembly and persuasion of Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar.
“RSS was not in the making of Constitution because they kept themselves away from the mainstream of the freedom movement,” Tgyai said, taking a potshot at Bhagwat.
The RSS chief’s statement was “against the spirit of the Constitution”, the JD(U) leader said.
In an interview in RSS mouthpiece ‘Organiser’ and ‘Panchjanya’, Bhagwat also pitched for constitution of a committee with representatives from the civil society to go into the issue and decide which categories require reservation and for how long.