Vice Prez bats for equitable quota benefits

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Tuesday pitched for "reform" in the reservation system, saying there is "unrest and unease" in sections of communities entitled to quota benefits as they believe that only a few among them are getting advantage of it.

Stressing that reservation should not be tinkered with, he said there should be a proportional representation of different castes among those covered under it so that there is "equitable and proportional representation based on their population".

The Modi government had last year appointed a commission to examine the sub-categorisation of almost 5,000 castes in the central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to ensure "more equitable distribution" of reservations in central government jobs and educational institutions.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) believes that such a move will help it win over support of backward castes that are numerically not dominant but form a big bloc together.

Naidu, a former president of the BJP and a Union minister before being elected as the Vice President, asked political parties to consider the matter with an open mind so that this "social unrest" is addressed.

"What has happened that there is certain amount of unrest and uneasiness in sections among these groups that only a few communities are getting advantage. So they are asking now for equitable and proportional representation based on their population," he told PTI in an interview.

Reservation that has been guaranteed should be there, he asserted, adding that there should be no question or rethink about it.

"Let the benefits of reservation reach all the needy. That is the aim... It has implications that is why I am suggesting that let there be debate, discussion and then evolve a consensus," he said.