The RSS on Sunday strongly supported reservation — saying it was necessary to bring about equality “to those suffering from discrimination” — but opposed any politics on the quota issue.
“We support reservation. Till the time there is inequality in the society, reservation is needed. To bring up those suffering from this inequality as equals, we need reservation. But there should not be any politics on that,” RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said during a book launch event here.
The RSS chief, VHP leader Ashok Singhal, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, Union minister for I&B Prakash Javadekar were present at the function to mark the release of three books authoured by BJP spokesperson Vijay Sonkar Shastri on Schedule Castes. The preface of all the three books are written by senior RSS leaders — Suresh Soni, Krishna Gopal and Suresh Joshi.
“The reasons for which they tolerated, those reasons are no longer here now as we have gained our independence. Now our duty is to bring them up as equals. To bring them as equals, if for 100 years one has to tolerate injustice, let it be,” Bhagwat said.
The RSS chief said that a society which aspires development cannot let this go on for a long time and the target of achieving equality should have been achieved after Independence. Recalling that the mentor of Jansangh, Dindayal Upadhyay, used to say that if one has to bring everybody as equals, then those who are above the ordinary masses should bow and extend their hands to under privileged.
“Through each other’s cooperation, everybody can become equals. If those who are privileged do not bow or bend, those below the line cannot come up,” he said. Calling for social bonhomie and affinity among different sections of society, the RSS chief cautioned against “pride” among the privileged ones. “If you don’t bow down, it is your devastation,” he said.