BSP will raise RSS leader’s anti-quota remark in polls to expose BJP: Ram Achal Rajbhar

MEERUT: A day after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s publicity head

Manmohan Vaidya

stirred controversy by stating “it’s not good to have reservation forever” and “the need for it should be done away with as soon as possible”, BSP is up in arms against BJP and has decided to milk maximum political benefit ahead of UP polls.

Party's state president

Ram Achal Rajbhar

told TOI, "We do not see RSS and BJP separately. They both follow the same ideology. The repeated statements of Sangh leaders in which they promote cancellation of caste reservation shows their true colour and speak volumes about their anti-Dalit and anti-backward class stance. Our party will launch public agitation against this and apprise all classes who benefit from this policy about the damaging intentions of the saffron party which is backseat driven by RSS. This is election time and we will expose BJP's doublespeak on this issue."

Earlier in the day, BSP supremo also criticised Vaidya’s statement and appealed to the masses in a press conference in Lucknow. “Efforts are on to snatch away the legal rights of Dalits and other backward communities. BSP will not allow RSS-BJP combine cannot take away that right,” she said, appealing to the voters, “If you want to save reservation, vote for BSP en masse.” .

In 2015, in the run-up to Bihar polls, RSS chief

Mohanrao Bhagwat

had sparked a similar row by urging a review of whether reservations had served the intended objective. Many say the RSS's ill-timed anti-reservation statement single-handedly deprived the BJP of victory in that state.

Responding to a question at the Jaipur Literature Festival about RSS's stand on quota for Muslims, Vaidya on Friday had justified quotas for SCs and STs but, quoting BR Ambedkar, said they could be phased out once the conditions which led to their introduction ceased to exist. "Concept of reservation for SCs and STs came in a different context. For thousands of years, we deprived some of our own people of facilities, respect and education. So, to bring them together, the provision of reservation was introduced in the Constitution from the beginning," he had said.

According to BSP insiders, the RSS leader’s statement has actually given a fresh impetus to the BSP campaign as it now feels that apart from Dalit vote-bank, other backward castes will also huddle together and move towards BSP at a time when infighting in SP is corroding its chances to retain power in UP.

Four-time MLA and former cabinet minister Ramvir Upadhayay said, “The provision of reservation was made by Dr Ambedkar at the time of the drafting of the constitution and these people (RSS and BJP) are hell bent upon destroying that provision meant for the upliftment of the downtrodden. But BSP will not allow this to happen. It is good that these people have again raised this issue.”

Upadhayay said, “At least they are shedding away the mask. In fact, with such statements, we get additional strength to be more united and fight against these forces. General public is well aware of BSP’s stand on the reservation policy. Now, it will be easier for us to draw other backward communities towards BSP like Khatiks, Divakars, Kurmis, etc. Our cadre will make sure every ear listens to what BJP intends in terms of reservation.”