24 August,2026 10:31 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ramdas Athawale. File Pic
Union minister Ramdas Athawale has demanded that sedition charges be invoked against people who oppose reservation or call for its abolition, arguing that the quota system is a constitutional right.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Athawale said protests against reservation, including a gathering at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, had brought the issue back into focus. He also alleged that campaigns calling for changes to or the removal of the reservation system were being circulated on social media.
"Opposition to reservation is opposition to the Constitution. Those taking an anti-reservation stand are anti-constitutional and stringent action of sedition should be taken against them," the Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief said.
Athawale said some groups and individuals were demanding the abolition of reservation, but asserted that the system could not be removed as it was protected as a constitutional right. His remarks came amid renewed debate over caste-based quotas and demands from some sections for changes to the existing reservation framework.
The minister's comments followed a protest at Jantar Mantar, where a large number of people gathered carrying banners, posters and saffron flags. The protesters raised slogans opposing caste-based reservation and called for changes in the criteria used to determine eligibility for government support.
The protesters were demanding that economic status should take precedence over caste when determining eligibility for government benefits and reservation. Their demands have added to a wider public debate over whether reservation policies should continue to be primarily based on social and educational disadvantage or whether economic criteria should play a greater role.
The demonstration also prompted a response from the Delhi Police, which issued a warning regarding gatherings at Jantar Mantar.
The Delhi Police said on Sunday that no permission had been granted to any individual or organisation to hold a protest or gathering at Jantar Mantar in connection with reservation reforms. The police cautioned people against assembling at the site based on what it described as "misleading" posts circulating on social media.
The police warning came after protesters gathered at the prominent demonstration site despite the absence of permission for such an event. Authorities urged people to verify information before responding to calls for protests or public gatherings circulated online.
The developments have brought the issue of reservation back into the political and public spotlight. While supporters of the existing system argue that reservation remains necessary to address historical social and educational disadvantages, opponents have called for greater emphasis on economic criteria.
(With inputs from PTI)
