Extending reservation will give rise to further discrimination: Mohan Bhagwat

Nagpur(Maharashtra), Mar 26 (ANI): The newly appointed chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, said that extending reservation to those not subjected to social discrimination will only give rise to further discrimination.

Speaking after his visit to Diksha Bhumi, a revered Buddhist monument in Nagpur on Thursday Bhagwat said, "To give reservation to people who have been subjected to social discrimination is an attempt to wipe out the discrimination prevalent in society. But, to provide reservation to those who have not been subjected to such discrimination will only give rise to further discrimination in society."

The Government of India, in 1950, announced 15 per cent of educational and civil service seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) and 7.5 per cent for the Scheduled Tribes (ST).

At present, 22.5 percent of government jobs and places in state-funded educational institutions are allocated to the SC's and ST's.

The two communities are estimated to make up about 25 percent of the country's population.

In 1990, a further 27 percent of government jobs was set aside for other lower castes and disadvantaged communities, known as 'other backward classes' (OBC).

This controversial decision by the V P Singh government led to violent student protests in which dozens of students set themselves ablaze.

With the Supreme Court's latest ruling, the OBCs will also be entitled to an additional 27 per cent of seats in state-funded educational institutions, pushing the total caste-based educational quota in the country to 49.5 percent. (ANI)