Mumbai, June 06: Amid raging debate over the issue of reservations for poor among upper castes, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today said: "It is unfortunate that such demands are being made at a time when we are talking of eradicating the caste system". "Reservations should be on economic criteria only irrespective of the caste..", Thackeray told reporters here.

Those who are economically weak must get the benefits of reservations, Thackeray said adding, there are only two castes in the world - "rich and poor".

The Sena chief, who described himself as a political cartoonist and not a politician, stated that he does not believe in casteism.

Bureau Report