'RSS Fully Supports Quota': Mohan Bhagwat Backs Reservation Amid Political Tussle

Hyderabad: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday maintained his stand on reservation, extending support to its implementation, after the Congress party alleged that Sangh had expressed opposition to the quota in past. 

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Vidya Bharati Vignana Kendra in Hyderabad, he said, "A video being circulated on social media says that the Sangh is against reservation. The Sangh offers its full support to all forms of reservations offered by the Constitution. The Sangh reiterates that whoever has been given reservations should continue to have them, as long as societal inequality exists.”

He further said that misuse of tehnology, especially Artificial Intelligence, can also show what did not happen or happened. 

Taking firm stance on Congress' claim, its leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that RSS had opposed the implementation of reservation in the past. 

Addressing an election rally at Daman in the Union Territory of Daman, Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the Congress leader said, “RSS chief makes a statement that RSS is not against reservation. It was he (Mohan Bhagwat) who had made a statement that he was opposed to reservation.” 

“Those who are against the reservation (policy) are joining their party (BJP). They welcome all those who are against reservation, and then he (Bhagwat) says he is not against reservation,” he added.

Revanth Reddy Claims ‘RSS Against Quota’ 

The heated debate was sparked after Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy accused the Sangh of opposing reservation in the country. “Back in the day, the RSS and its affiliate groups opposed the Mandal Commission and the idea of reservation,” he said on Thursday.

Amid political tussle over the reservation row, BJP claimed that the Congress has stated that ‘NDA would abolish reservation’ if voted to power at Centre for the third time. The saffron party leaders were quick to clarify their stand on the heated issue amid Lok Sabha election season. 

Terming the Congress' campaign claim that BJP is opposing reservations as "the biggest lie of the decade", Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy on Sunday mocked Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy saying they are "daydreaming".

"I don't know whether Rahul Gandhi has been daydreaming or Revanth Reddy was dreaming in the night. Congress has resorted to Goebbels' campaign against BJP that we will remove reservations, abolish reservations. Congress has been harping on that campaign in order to make people believe it," Reddy said.