No one can end reservation, says Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that no one had the power to end reservation and added that all Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the state would now receive the benefits extended to the Mahadalit — Kumar's coinage for marginalised sections among the SCs.

Kumar made the announcement at an Ambedkar Jayanti event organised by Dalit Sena — an outfit affiliated with Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janashakti Party (LJP).

In 2007, the NDA government in Bihar led by Kumar, had recognised 18 castes as the extremely weak among the list of SCs and referred to them as Mahadalit.

The recent bonhomie between Kumar and Paswan are seen as a bid to woo Dalit votes ahead of the 2019 general election, especially after former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi quit the NDA to join the Grand Alliance.

Kumar said no political party had the power to end reservation for the Dalit and backward sections of the society and asked Dalit Sena members to take their message to every home. He reiterated that he would not compromise with his principles on corruption, crime and communalism, whether or not he remains in power.

Paswan asked the Dalit Sena workers to commence agitation for reservation in the judiciary, till it was implemented. Upendra Kushwaha called for everyone to work together for the cause.