No need to review reservation policy: RSS saves face after controversial remark

Moments after RSS’s publicity chief Manmohan Vaidya kicked up a row with remarks favouring a review of the reservation policy, the Sangh on Friday said that reservation as provided by the Constitution should continue and there should be no unnecessary controversy.

“As long as there is discrimination on the basis of birth, gender or any other social factor, the reservation as provided by the Constitution shall continue and RSS fully supports it,” Dattatreya Hosabale, Joint General Secretary of the RSS, told a press conference in Jaipur.

He said there was no scope for controversy over the issue which may create disturbance in the society.

“I, as the Joint General Secretary of the RSS, am reiterating here what I had said in the Jaipur Literature Festival in the evening. The stand of the RSS is very clear that the reservation provided by the Constitution should continue,” Hosabale said.

Vaidya, in comments that could be potentially damaging for BJP in elections to five state assemblies, had earlier remarked that even the architect of the Constitution BR Ambedkar had not favoured the continuance of reservation policy in perpetuity.

“Reservations for SC/ST were introduced in a different context. It was provided for in the Constitution to remedy the historical injustice done to them. It was our responsibility.

“So, reservation for them has been there since the inception (of the Constitution). But, even Ambedkar has said its continuance in perpetuity is not good. There should be a time limit to it,” Vaidya told an interactive session at Jaipur Literature Festival.

The remarks were widely criticised by RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Congress and AAP.Coming to Vaidya’a defence, Hosabale said, “Manmohan Vaidya ji spoke on this issue while responding to a question in the JLF session. He meant that there is no provision in the Constitution on religious grounds.”

“There was no suo-moto statement from the RSS. The question was asked which was responded in the JLF session itself,” he said.

Vaidya, who was also present at the conference, did not reply to any question.