New Delhi [India], August 24 : Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Monday asserted that reservation is a constitutional right that no power can abolish, reacting to the Reservation Hatao Andolan protest at Jantar Mantar, saying Dalit discrimination still persists and vowing to never allow the system to be undermined as long as he is in government.
Speaking to reporters, Paswan said, "Is reservation something that can be abolished simply because someone says so? It is a constitutional right. Reservation is not charity handed out to anyone; it is a constitutional right, and no power on earth can abolish it."
He said those contemplating abolishing reservation through review or reform likely do not understand why it is necessary.
"Look at what happened to Mr Kharge on that stage. The stage was purified after he visited it, wasn't it? Even today, a Dalit youth is stopped from riding a horse; a Dalit boy is prevented from taking out a wedding procession. When prominent leaders visit a temple, the premises are sometimes washed with Gangajal. So, this discrimination persists, doesn't it? And these are the Scheduled Castes who have been victims of untouchability. Discrimination still exists today...I can say with absolute certainty that as long as I am here and as long as Chirag Paswan, the son of Ram Vilas Paswan, is part of the government, I will never allow this system to be undermined," Paswan told reporters.
This comes after a large number of people gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Friday to protest against caste-based reservation, under the banner of Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA), demanding a complete overhaul of the caste-based reservation system.
They demanded that quotas in academics and employment should strictly be determined by income levels rather than social or caste identities. Additionally, the protesters advocated for a "one family, one reservation" policy and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the UGC's 2026 caste-equity directives.
A large number of people gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Friday to protest against caste-based reservation, following which the Delhi Police and Central Forces were deployed at the protest site to maintain law and order situation.
Security personnel were seen present at Jantar Mantar as protesters assembled at the designated protest area. The police deployment was carried out as a precautionary measure amid the large gathering.
Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA) is an official Instagram page, which has 5.6 million followers. The platform rapidly gained traction by adopting the protest-mobilisation tactics of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and has now called for a physical protest against the reservation system.