Bihar: Blood will flow on roads if attempt is made to tamper caste-based quota system, says industries minister Shyam Rajak

PATNA: JD(U)’s national general secretary and Bihar’s industries minister Shyam Rajak on Wednesday said bloods would flow on the roads if any attempts are made to tamper the existing provisions of caste-based reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes. He also warned that country will be divided if any one dares to end the quota system.
Raising serous objection over the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s fresh statement on reservation issue, Rajak told TOI that there should be a review of “Niyaat” (intention) of such people who have, time and again, been demanding a review of the caste-based quota system for the downtrodden and backwards.
“Such people should first review the hierarchy of their organization and tell the country how much representation they have so far given to the Dalits and backwards in their decision-making or executive body,” Rajak said, without taking the name of RSS.
On being asked whether he was hinting towards the RSS, Rajak-- who holds an important portfolio in Nitish Kumar-led cabinet—said, “I have not taken name of any organization. In fact, most of the political parties in the country have so far not given adequate representation to the people hailing from the SC, ST and OBCs. There should be review why Dalits and backwards are not getting adequate representation in the decision-making bodies of political parties.”
“If the existing system of reservation for SC, ST and OBCs is ended, it will break the hearts of the downtrodden, poor and backwards across the country. If their hearts are broken, the country will be divided,” Rajak said while warning that no one should dare to tamper with the provision of quota.
Terming Bhagwat’s statement as “unnecessary”, Rajak also said when PM Narendra Modi and JD(U) president and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has already made it clear that reservation for SC, ST and OBC would continue, what is the need of such people to meddle into. “These people should first explain whether people hailing from SC, ST and OBCs have gotten due representation in the government bodies,” he asked.
Bhagwat, while speaking at a programme in Delhi on Sunday, had said, “There should be conversation in a harmonious atmosphere between those in favour of reservation and those against it. Those who favoured reservation should speak keeping in mind the interests of those who were against it, and similarly those who opposed it should do the vice versa.”
Contrary to Rajak’s statement, his cabinet colleague and Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP) had on Tuesday said that Bhagwat’s statement was being “mis-interpreted” by some opposition leaders. Other BJP leaders like Bihar agriculture minister Prem Kumar too defended Bhagwat.