Mayawati supports quota for upper caste poors

Lucknow, June 4 (UNI) BSP supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today announced support to the idea of reservation for the economically weak among the upper castes.

Addressing a news conference here, Ms Mayawati released a booklet detailing the BSP stand on the controversial issue of 27 per cent OBC reservation in higher educational institutions of the country.

The booklet read if the Central Government decided to provide reservation to upper castes on economic status basis, the BSP would extend its support.

She claimed that the party wants to avoid confrontation on the issue in the society, since that might give an excuse to Congress to backtrack on the 27 per cent OBC quota proposal.

''On April 10, 2006, I had suggested that to avoid confrontation on the matter, the Centre should increase the number of seats in premier educational institutions in the same proportion as being proposed to reserve for OBCs.'' Ms Mayawati lambasted Congress, BJP and other ''manuvadi'' outfits for their alleged policy to deprive the ''Bahujan Samaj'' of the reservation benefits.

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