'Sangh has always stood for reservation', says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat amid row
NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS ) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that the organisation has always supported reservations as per the Constitution , discrediting a viral video claiming that the Sangh was against quota.
Addressing an event organised to mark the inauguration of Vidya Bharati Vignana Kendra (VBVK) in Hyderabad on Sunday, the Sangh chief said, "A video is being circulated on social media platforms claiming that the Sangh is against reservation .
Addressing an event organised to mark the inauguration of Vidya Bharati Vignana Kendra (VBVK) in Hyderabad on Sunday, the Sangh chief said, "A video is being circulated on social media platforms claiming that the Sangh is against reservation .
Behind this patently false and misleading video are people, who preach reservation when outside, among the people, but work against the idea behind the scenes. Such claims are totally baseless."
"The Sangh has always stood for reservation, as sanctioned and guaranteed under the Constitution, from the very beginning. We believe that reservation should continue as long as it is necessary for those who need it, as they are provided for reasons of backwardness and lack of parity in terms of their living or social standing. The quotas should remain in place as long as discriminations aren't eliminated," Bhagwat added.
"The Sangh has always stood for reservation, as sanctioned and guaranteed under the Constitution, from the very beginning. We believe that reservation should continue as long as it is necessary for those who need it, as they are provided for reasons of backwardness and lack of parity in terms of their living or social standing. The quotas should remain in place as long as discriminations aren't eliminated," Bhagwat added.
Bhagwat's reiteration came in the wake of a war of words taking place between the BJP and Congress over reservations.
Earlier, Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday alleged that RSS-BJP are opposed to reservation. He said that the BJP has hidden agenda of implementing the RSS plan of making India a ‘reservation-free country’ by conducting a surgical strike on SC, ST and OBC reservations.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah should tell the people of the country that reservations of SCs and STs will not be scrapped and that the OBC quota will be increased as per their population, if the BJP has no hidden agenda of doing away with the reservations,” he said.
"Back in the day, the RSS and its affiliate groups opposed the Mandal Commission and the idea of reservation. The Supreme Court, too, allowed reservations for backward classes, while capping the extent of quotas allocated at 50 cent," the Telangana CM claimed.
He further said that many backward classes and OBC leaders are urging that the 50-per cent cap on reservation (for such classes) be lifted. Recalling Congress' promise, CM Reddy said if they won then they will do a nationwide caste survey and give reservations accordingly. "It is in this context that Rahul-ji talked about a wealth X-ray and re-allocation of funds," CM Reddy added.
He also accused the BJP of trying to enforce the RSS' ideology of making India a 'reservation-free' country.
However, Bhagwat had said last year in Nagpur that reservations should continue as long as there is discrimination in society. Discrimination exists in society even though it is invisible, he had said.
(With inputs from agency)
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