NEW DELHI: Union MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said reservation is a “constitutional right” and termed demands for its abolition “unconstitutional”, arguing that several needy communities continue to benefit from the system.Addressing a press conference, Athawale said some people had demanded the abolition of reservation during protests at Jantar Mantar, while similar campaigns were also being run on social media. “Reservation cannot be removed because it is our constitutional right,” he said, news agency PTI reported.Athawale said reservation, initially provided for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, had been expanded to include other sections, including Economically Weaker Sections. He argued that there was no justification for ending the system as “all needy groups are benefiting from it”.
‘End caste system first’
Athawale said that while untouchability was prohibited under Article 17 of the Constitution, caste-based discrimination and atrocities against SC communities continued, particularly in rural areas.
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“Our stand is very clear. Those seeking abolition of reservation should first ensure an end to the caste system. We will not insist on reservation once caste is eliminated,” he said.He also said the Narendra Modi-led government was working to protect reservation and ensure social justice. Athawale’s Republican Party of India (A) has been an NDA ally since 2014, he said, adding that his party wanted all needy communities to receive reservation.The call for the demonstration at Jantar Mantar was made by the “Reservation Hatao Andolan”, an Instagram page that has gained significant traction by adopting protest-mobilisation tactics of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).