RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat wants panel on quota

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday said a committee should be set up to decide who should get reservation.

Mr Bhagwat, speaking at an interactive session with chartered accountants and cost accountants at the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was responding to queries about how the problem regarding reservation could be solved.

“A lot of people are demanding reservation these days. We think that a committee must be set up which will decide who should get reservation to maintain social justice. It should be a non-political committee to ensure that there is no vested interest. The committee will decide whether it is required to give reservation to the backward classes. It should formulate time-bound programmes to meet the deadlines for providing reservation,” Mr Bhagwat said.

The remarks from the RSS chief came against the backdrop of the reservation stir by Jats in Haryana.

Fresh violence erupted in a Haryana district on Monday, a day after the government formed a committee headed by Union minister Venkaiah Naidu to devise a way for Jats to be given reservation. The interactive session was held

Mr Bhagwat also took a dig at the “intellectuals” who have been lending support to students branded as “anti-nationals”.

“The problem is that there has been a rise of non-intellectuals, or so called intellectuals, among true intellectuals. We must take into consideration the thoughts and beliefs of true intellectuals, and not the so-called intellectuals,” Mr Bhagwat said.

Mr Bhagwat was also of the view that some politicians were trying to draw mileage from the recent incidents at Central universities to suit their political interests.

“This trend will soon change. Instead of taking them seriously, I ask you to pity them,” the RSS chief added.