Fearing a repeat of the effect that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement regarding reservation had on Bihar Assembly polls, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Dattatreya Hosabale and Manmohan Vaidya issued a clarification on Vaidya’s statement about quota.
During their session at the Jaipur Literature festival, Vaidya said that reservation serves the purpose only up to a point and continuous reservation breeds alienation. Give equal opportunities instead of reservation.
As a damage control measure, at a press conference called merely three hours after the remarks at the festival, Hosabale clarified that the RSS has always been in support of reservation provided under the Constitution.
When Dattatreya was asked to let Vaidya clarify he got agitated and said that he was the general secretary of the organisation.
Attempt at controversy
He said: “There’s been an attempt to create a controversy over our reservation statement ahead of the UP elections.
The RSS has always been in support of reservation provided under the Constitution and should continue as long as there is discrimination based on birth or caste.”
When asked why no Muslim candidate features in the BJP’s UP list, Dattatreya Hosabale said, “the RSS doesn’t decide tickets. The BJP decides on winnability.”
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