Union minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday said the government would engage in dialogue with anti-reservation protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar once they present their demands in a systematic manner.
A large number of protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar carrying banners, posters and saffron flags and raising slogans against caste-based reservation. They are seeking economic criteria to take precedence over caste in determining eligibility for government support and reservation.
"Any sort of misunderstanding around reservation can create anger among a large section of the country's population. Once the protesters present their demands systematically, the government will engage in dialogue with them," Paswan told reporters in Patna.
On demands for reservation based on economic criteria, Paswan said the NDA government had already introduced 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Paswan also accused the Congress of "diverting people's attention" from the Vande Mataram controversy by staging a sit-in outside the Parliament Street police station in Delhi.
"Holding a protest is allowed under the Constitution, but using one issue to divert attention from other issues is a different thing.
The Congress leadership is currently facing questions over the issue of disrespecting Vande Mataram," he said.
He was referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's dharna at the Parliament Street police station, where he sought registration of an FIR over pellet injuries allegedly suffered by 19-year-old Sahil Lochab during the CJP-led protests.
On RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's support for the students' protest in Patna, Paswan said it was "a good thing" and "consistent with his responsibility" as the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly.
Paswan also expressed concern over the recent rise in sugar prices and said the issue would be resolved soon.
(With inputs from PTI)
