RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, whose comments on reservation in September last year sparked off a huge controversy and reportedly cost the BJP the all-important Bihar Assembly elections, on Thursday reiterated that the reservation policy should continue till there is “social discrimination” in the country. The RSS has been in damage control mode ever since the Bihar election results. Speaking at a “students’ Parliament” organised by Maharashtra Institute of Technology in Pune, Mr Bhagwat said that the RSS has no disagreement with the country’s Constitution.
“Till social discrimination exists, reservation must be there. But it should be implemented honestly,” Mr Bhagwat said. He further added that reservation policy with regard to government jobs and admission to educational institutions, however, must be implemented honestly and the duties of citizens enumerated in the Constitution should also be followed.
To a question regarding the perception about growing intolerance, Mr Bhagwat said, “Tolerance and acceptance is the soul of our culture,” and added that selfish sentiments were wrong. Describing Lord Ram as an “ideal of Hindu culture”, he said he favoured the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya.
