NEW DELHI: The Centre today made it clear that it was not in favour of any review of the existing reservation system as more opposition parties attacked it over RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's suggestion that it should be reconsidered.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reiterated the line he had taken yesterday at a briefing in the BJP office, saying this was the stand of the party as well the government.
"Our government is not in favour of making any change in the existing reservation policy for the SCs, STs, backward castes and extremely backward castes. We believe that it is necessary for their economic, educational and social progress.
There is no need to reconsider it," he said. Prasad's assertion at a press conference following the Cabinet meeting came even as BSP chief Mayawati, who has a sizable influence among Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, joined parties like Lalu Prasad-led RJD and Nitish Kumar's JD(U) in warning the government of nation wide stir if it tinkered with the quota system.
The former UP chief minister said the government will have to pay a heavy price if it dared to make change in the reservation system at the RSS' prodding.
In an interview to RSS mouthpiece Organiser, Bhagwat had pitched for a review of the reservation policy, contending it has been used for political ends and suggesting setting up of an apolitical committee to examine who needs the facility and for how long.