New Delhi: Jantar Mantar, which until recently was the epicentre of protests against the NEET paper leak, is now becoming the battleground for a movement demanding the abolition of reservation. The echoes of the anti-reservation protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar are now being heard across the country; through this movement, protesters are demanding an end to the reservation system.
Leaders from both the NDA and the INDIA alliance are keeping a close watch on this protest. Only time will tell how much this movement expands, but we can certainly understand how NDA leaders view it and what their stance is.
What Chirag Paswan said about the anti-reservation protest
Union Minister Chirag Paswan made a significant statement regarding the anti-reservation protest. He stated that the government would engage in dialogue once demands are presented in a structured manner. Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Patna, Paswan remarked that any misunderstanding regarding reservation could breed resentment among a large section of the country’s population.
Addressing the demand for reservation based on economic grounds, Paswan noted that the NDA government has already implemented a 10% reservation for the economically weaker sections.
Paswan takes a dig at Tejashwi Yadav.
When asked about the RJD’s support for the student protests in Patna, Chirag Paswan described it as a positive move that aligns with Tejashwi Yadav’s responsibilities as the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. However, he added a sarcastic remark, stating it would have been better had Tejashwi Yadav raised these issues while present in the House during its proceedings.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that, albeit belatedly, Tejashwi is fulfilling his duties as the Leader of the Opposition, which is a good thing. Paswan added that despite being part of the government, he has tried to act as a bridge to ensure that the people’s voices reach the government and that no one goes unheard.
Reservation can never be abolished – Athawale.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also made a significant statement on Saturday regarding the demand to abolish reservation. He noted that campaigns to abolish reservation were being run on social media. While some individuals at Jantar Mantar demanded the abolition of reservation, others campaigned for the same online. He asserted that reservation cannot be abolished, as it is a constitutional right.
Referring to the extension of reservation to cover groups ranging from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to the economically weaker sections, Athawale stated that the demand to scrap this system holds no merit, as all needy groups are benefiting from it.
