Bajaj heckled by pro-quota activists in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A group of pro-quota activists on Saturday heckled industrialist Rahul Bajaj during a function here to felicitate him on his 68th birthday, protesting his opposition to reservations for backward classes.

Some 20 members of a students organisation, Chhatra Bharati, began shouting slogans and jostled with members of the audience as the function began at an auditorium in central Mumbai.

The protestors were evicted from the venue by volunteers before they could make their way to the stage and were handed over to police.

Later, speaking to reporters, Bajaj said, ""What is the use of reservations? We need to do more important things for
India right now. India needs to progress. Where is the country
right now?

"India's per capita income is 600 dollars. The figure for America and Europe is much more. It's not enough to deliver speeches or to just get votes."

The function was organised by the Marathwada Lokvikas Manch, an organisation representing people from the Marathwada region where the Bajaj Group has one of its biggest two-wheeler plants.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was to attend the function, did not participate in it.

On May 9, industrialist Ratan Tata was similarly targeted by pro-quota activists who heckled him while he was accepting the Maharashtra Government's highest award at a function at the same venue.