New Delhi: The Congress on Monday condemned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks on reservation and accused the BJP and RSS of "being anti-Dalit" and trying to end the quota provisions for weaker sections in the Constitution.
"There is a definite design behind such narratives to cook up unnecessary issues to trap people. A clear attempt to cover up the excesses on Adivasis and Dalits," Congress spokesman Pawan Khera told reporters at the AICC headquarters here.
Party MP PL Punia said the RSS is opposed to the special rights granted to the Adivasis and Dalits to bring them at par with the rest as guaranteed under the Constitution for equality and equity. Bhagwat had raked up the issue during the Bihar Assembly elections and he is reviving the controversy to create tension in the society, he said.
Sangh should shed anti-quota mindset, says Mayawati
BSP chief Mayawati on Monday asked the RSS to shed its "anti-reservation mindset", saying reservation was a constitutional provision and disturbing it would be an injustice.
Mayawati said such a debate would generate a dangerous situation of doubt which was not needed. In a tweet, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "The RSS saying that there should be open-hearted debate pertaining to reservation given to SC/ST/OBC, generates dangerous situation of doubt, which is not at all needed".
She also said, "Reservation is a humanitarian and constitutional provision, and disturbing it is injustice and improper. It would be better if the Sangh sheds its anti-reservation mindset."
