Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said though there is some misuse of the quota system, but it is needed to uplift the downtrodden.
“Though the situation in Goa is different, the social condition of SC and ST people across the country is not good…It is improving,” Parrikar said to a question while addressing the BJP’s youth convention in the poll-bound state.
“I admit there is some misuse of reservation. But I feel we need to work out a mechanism to bring up those who are downtrodden into the social structure,” he said.
“The reason behind reservation is to bring them up. I feel that there is a need for reservation policy,” he said.
Notably, RSS publicity chief Manmohan Vaidya had on Friday said that even B R Ambedkar, architect of the Constitution, was not in favour of perpetual continuance of reservations, and the reservations policy should be reviewed.
However, after Vaidya’s remarks kicked up a row, the Sangh clarified that reservation as provided by constitution should continue and there should be no unnecessary controversy.
Meanwhile, Parrikar also said that circumstances forced him into politics, but he still follows the principles adopted during his first day into this field.
“I remember, in 1989 I never thought that I was destined to be in politics. But due to certain circumstances, I was pushed into politics. In those 10 years, I saw at least 12 Chief Ministers,” he said at the convention.
“If you want to have comprehensive development of Goa, the plan needs to be worked out. But during that time (when I joined politics), there was no plan. Entire ten years went only to change the chief ministers,” the BJP leader said.
