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Mohan Bhagwat. PTI file photo
Fearing advantage to rival grand alliance of JDU-RJD-Congress in Bihar assembly polls, the BJP on Monday distanced itself from RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s idea of reviewing caste based reservation.
The BJP fielded senior minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to say that the "BJP is not in favour of any reconsideration of reservation policy" as it will stir a forward versus backward debate on the eve of polls.
Apparently by way of damage control after the BJP did not toe Bhagwat’s line, the RSS clarified that its chief's quota comment did not "speak about reservation extended to the weaker sections of society". "He (Bhagwat) said that everybody should strive towards all weaker sections of society getting reservation benefit as was the aspiration of the makers of the Constitution. This interview was not on the subject of reservation but about integral humanism and should be seen in this context," RSS chief spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya said in a statement.
NDA ally RLSP, a party of OBC Koeris, too took objection to the RSS chief’s assertion that caste-based affirmative action was being exploited for political reasons.
Reservation is a “settled issue,” he said. Bhagwat’s assertion provided fodder to pro-Mandal politicians, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, to invoke identity politics which BJP has been trying to scuttle in favour of development agenda. Lalu remarked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was out to finish reservation "at his master Bhagwat's bidding".
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