RSS breaks silence on Patel quota stir, hits out at Hardik Patel

 Ahmedabad: Breaking its silence on the raging issue of reservation for Patels, the RSS has lambasted the community's leader Hardik Patel for his aggressive posturing at the August 25 rally and said if allowed to become "divisive" such a movement could "destruct" the social fabric.

Expressing its views for the first time on the issue, which has become a bugbear for the Anandiben Patel government, the BJP's ideological mentor also added that it is in favour of reservation system for SCs and STs in its present format till social inequality is in place.

"In democracy, every person has a freedom to express his thoughts and to press his demands and nobody is denying that. But the agitation should neither divide society nor harm the country. One should take care that elements who divide the society or create anarchy shall not be included in the ongoing movement (of Patels).

"The reason is the words uttered by Hardik Patel like 'will show our status to entire India' or 'will burn Ravana's Lanka'. Using such language can put any patriotic in worry. Such a movement can destruct (fabric of) society," as per the excerpts of the interview given by RSS national spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya to the Sangh's periodical 'Sadhna'.

Vaidya's interview will be out on September 19.

When contacted, state spokesperson of RSS Pradip Jain confirmed that the views were indeed published in 'Sadhna', copy of which is with PTI.

Gujarat has been witnessing an aggressive stir being spearheaded by Hardik (22) seeking reservation under OBC category for his community.

The first round of the agitation churned the political climate in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when Hardik organised a massive rally in Ahmedabad on August 25. The violence that followed his detention engulfed many parts of the state, resulting in deaths of 10 people.

On reservation system in vogue, Vaidya said quota is needed for SCs and STs until there is social inequality.

"The social evil of untouchability entered into the Indian society. One particular section of our society became victim of injustice, insult and they were kept deprived of facilities and respect.

"Discrimination and untouchability had unfortunately and

sadly become elements of our social inequality. Makers of the Constitution had made provision of reservation to bring our such brothers into mainstream. Sangh is totally in agreement with this system (of reservation)," Vaidya added.

However, he demanded "analysis" of the reservation system by a committee of apolitical social scientists and experts and said that their report should be accepted by everyone.

Meanwhile, Jain said RSS had accepted the present reservation system in 1980 with a view to bring all the members of society into the mainstream to harness social harmony.