Congress to oppose RSS 'move' on reservation

Objecting to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's proposal of appointing an apolitical committee on reservation policy, Congress state unit president and Lok Sabha MP Ashok Chavan on Monday said that his party would oppose any effort of taking away the existing reservation benefits for the downtrodden in the society.

Speaking to the media at Tilak Bhavan, Chavan said that Bhagwat in an interview has suggested appointing a committee to do a re-look at the reservation issue. He added that the BJP governments at the Centre and the state are taking an anti-reservation stance and with the RSS chief's interview, it is coming out in the open.

Chavan further said that whatever the RSS chief has said could become a government agenda and if there is any attempt to deprive the Dalits and OBCs of their reservation benefits, Congress would oppose it tooth and nail. He alleged that since the state government has already deprived the Muslim community of educational benefits despite court orders, there would be an effort to cancel all the reservation benefits under the garb of reviewing the issue of reservation.

Criticising the Shiv Sena for supporting Sanatan Sanstha, Congress spokesperson Sachin Savant said that there was no difference between organisations in Pakistan supporting terror outfits and the Shiv Sena. He
said that since Sena was a part of the government, the issue of its support to Sanatan Sanstha through its mouthpiece 'Samana' was even more serious. A Sanatan Sanstha member has been arrested in the rationalist Govind Pansare murder case.