As ‘AI video’ sparks row, Bhagwat says RSS has always backed quota

HYDERABAD:

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

asserted on Sunday that

Sangh Parivar

has consistently backed

reservations

as stipulated by the Constitution and advocates for its continuation as long as it is necessary. His remarks came amidst Congress and BJP accusing each other of being anti-reservation.
“A video is being circulated that RSS is against reservation...

Now this is completely false. Sangh has been supporting all reservations mandated by the Constitution since the beginning,” he said during an event at an educational institution in Hyderabad. “According to Sangh Parivar, reservations should continue till people need them. The video shows an RSS meeting discussing scrapping of reservation. It portrays me holding a meeting that never transpired,” he added.
The RSS chief expressed concern regarding the misuse of social media. “The video in circulation is generated by AI.

Social media

is not bad in general, but it all depends on how we use it.”
Following his remarks, an old video of him resurfaced on social media, wherein he unequivocally supported reservations. Bhagwat was heard saying reservations should persist as long as discrimination exists in society.

The opposition has called BJP’s slogan “abki baar 400 paar” a strategy to secure brute majority in Lok Sabha to enable the party to revoke quotas for SC/STs and OBCs.
Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy had alleged BJP aimed to abolish reservations, and pledged Congress, if elected, would not only uphold but also augment OBC quota based on their population.