Patna: Accusing the BJP and RSS of tinkering with the existing quota policy through a review committee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said reservation is "still needed" for Dalits and backwards to bring them into the mainstream of the society.
"Reservation is still needed for Dalits and backwards. We can firmly say reservation will continue for them... Have they (these communities) achieved considerable and required improvement in the society? They still need reservation benefits," Kumar said while addressing the 639th Shiromani Ravidas Jayanti in the state capital.
In an apparent reference to RSS and BJP, Kumar said that on the one hand there are people who celebrate the birth anniversaries of B R Ambedkar and Ravidas, while on the other hand they talk about reviewing the existing reservation system.
"BJP supports reservation just to portray themselves as pro-reservationist, but its roots emanate from RSS, whose Sangh Chalak had suggested review of reservation during the Bihar Assembly polls," Kumar said.
"They (BJP and RSS) are still firm on their view (of reviewing reservation)... You will have to understand that they (BJP and RSS) want to snatch your reservation, but they will not be successful in their efforts," Kumar said while announcing a 'holiday' on Ravidas Jayanti from next year.
Claiming that BJP had made umpteen promises during Lok Sabha and Bihar Assembly elections, Kumar said none of their promises like providing jobs to youths, actually materialised. Instead, after assuming power at the Centre, they (BJP) first raised the issue of 'Love Jihad', then 'Gharwapsi', and 'Gomans' during the Bihar elections, the Chief Minister alleged.
"But when they raised 'Love Jihad', they lost elections in UP, when they raised 'Gharwapsi', they lost Delhi and when they raised 'Gomans', they lost Bihar elections... Now they are talking about hoisting flags and nationalism," he said.
"They (Centre) have issued a directive to hoist flags in central universities. Who has stopped anyone from hoisting flags? Anyone can hoist flag anywhere in the country," Kumar asserted.
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