Bengaluru, Sep 27 (DHNS): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said reservation policy should continue till there is discrimination of some communities in society.

Speaking at a convention of Mogaveera (fishermen) in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s reported statement calling for a review of the reservation policy.

“These people do not want any change in the social scenario. They want society to remain stagnant”, Siddaramaiah said and added that reservation was not a charity but the right of the socially deprived. He said the reservation system was ingrained in the Constitution for the upliftment of the downtrodden and not a political tool as portrayed by the RSS.

The chief minister said that communal elements were trying to divide society and all backward classes should unite to fight such forces. He said these communal forces were trying to impose Hindutava among Mogaveeras especially in coastal region and asked the community members not to succumb to such pressure.

Siddaramaiah said the State government has recommended to the Centre to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for Mogaveera community (at present classified as OBCs). “The ball in now in the Centre’s court. There are three Cabinet ministers from the State in the Union government. They should utilise their offices and get the state’s recommendation cleared”, the chief minister said.