RSS publicity chief, Manmohan Vaidya’s comments allegedly criticising the reservation policy has caused a big controversy.
AAP today came out strongly against Vaidya’s remark favouring a review of the reservation policy and said it won’t allow the “anti-dalit” BJP and RSS suceed in their “nefarious designs”.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was quick to latch on the controversial remark, which could potentially help the party in Punjab, a state with over 30 per cent of dalit population.
“The RSS/BJP/Akalis are anti-Dalits. We will not allow their nefarious designs to succeed,” he tweeted.
“The statement by RSS functionary is shameful. This is not the first example of RSS and the BJP being anti-dalit.
There is no proof required after state-sponsored murder of (Dalit scholar) Rohith Vemula (who committed suicide). We condemn this,” AAP’s national spokesperson Dilip Pandey said, adding that such remarks also came up before the Bihar polls.
RSS’s publicity chief Manmohan Vaidya today kicked up a row with remarks favouring a review of the reservation policy, saying even the architect of the Constitution B R Ambedkar had not favoured its continuance in perpetuity.
“Reservations for SC/ST was introduced in a different context. It was provided for in the Constitution to remedy the historical injustice done to them. It was our responsibility.
“So, reservation for them has been there since the inception (of the Constitution). But, even Ambedkar has said its continuance in perpetuity is not good. There should be a time limit to it,” Vaidya told an interactive session at Jaipur Literature Festival.
Faced with outrage over his comments, he soon clarified claiming that they were misreported.
He told ANI, “On religious reservation I said it has no historical background and may encourage separatism,instead education must be promoted.”
His comment, nonetheless, caused considerable social media reactions with many concluding that the RSS leader had scored a spectacular own-goal particularly ahead of crucial assembly polls.
Similar comments by the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat ahead of Bihar assembly elections in 2015 had cost the BJP dearly as that played a key role in pushing Dalits away from the saffron party.
Fearing potential damage to BJP’s electoral prospects, Prime Minister Narendra Modi blamed his detractors for causing confusion about his party’s stand on reservation policy ahead of elections.
Here are some Twitter reactions;
Manmohan Vaidya of RSS: reservations must go, replaced by equal opportunity. He is right, but why just before UP polls? Bihar redux?
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 20, 2017
Another self goal by the @RSSorg. Manmohan Vaidya says reservation must end after a point of time. @BJP4India in a fix!
— Sukesh Ranjan (@RanjanSukesh) January 20, 2017
RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya's statement may cost BJP huge ahead of crucial UP polls, Vaidya said "Reservation must go".
— ASHUTOSH MISHRA (@ashu3page) January 20, 2017
RSS wants BJP to lose in upcoming Assembly polls – now Manmohan Vaidya repeats Mohan Bhagwat's pre-Bihar poll anti-reservation poison
— Nagendar Sharma (@sharmanagendar) January 20, 2017
Mohan Bhagwat ensured defeat of Modi in Bihar polls & he today unleashed Manmohan Vaidya to ensure defeat of BJP in UP.#AntiReservation_BJP
— Siona Gogoi (@siona_gogoi) January 20, 2017
"Reservations must go, replace by equal opportunity: Manmohan Vaidya RSS"
Modi to have his Spiritual Experience, RSS a Non Brahmin Chief!
— Arun Shourie fαи (@FeignShourie) January 20, 2017
This Vaidya guy was Gujarat pracharak, Modi screwed him along with his buddy Sanjay Joshi
— krishnarjun (@krishnarjun108) January 20, 2017
(With agencies inputs)
RSS publicity chief’s ‘anti-reservation’ comments termed big own-goal ahead of assembly polls