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.