New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has distanced itself from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's call for an overhaul of the reservation policy, saying it was against reconsidering the constitutional provision that granted benefits to weaker sections.
The party said it does not favour reconsideration of the reservation policy, as even during the Jana Sangh days, the idea of constitutional reservation was being firmly supported.
"The BJP firmly believes that reservation is important for the social, education and economic development of the SC, ST, OBC, backward and extremely backward classes. The BJP is not in favour of any reconsideration of these constitutional provisions," the party said in a statement on Monday.
"Right from the day of its inception and even before the Jana Sangh days, the BJP very firmly supported the constitutional reservation," the statement added.
The BJP also made it apparent that it was of the view that if further measures were suggested for those who were economically and socially backward, the same was welcome.
Ruling party's reaction came even as the RSS clarified that its chief had not called for an end to quotas in education and jobs.
Bhagwat had on Sunday reportedly pitched for a review of the reservation policy, contending it had been used for political ends and suggested setting up a committee to examine who needs the facility and till when.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also clarified that the BJP was not in favour of reconsidering the reservation policy.
He, however, said there should be a debate on how to extend the benefit of the reservation to those poor and backwards who have been left out.
On the other hand, the BJP's ideological mentor RSS said that Bhagwat's remarks in an interview were misunderstood.
"Bhagwat ji has not commented on the reservation, which different weaker sections of the society are enjoying," RSS chief spokesman Manmohan Vaidya said.
"Instead, he had said that everybody should discuss (the issue so) that benefits of reservation should reach all weaker sections of the society as envisaged by the constitution makers. The subject of the interview was integral humanism, not reservation," Vaidya added immediately.
