Buoyed up at getting the prestigious award, Nitish bats for upping reservation cap beyond 50 percent
PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was today honoured with the prestigious K Veermani Award for Social Justice by the Periyar International, a Chicago-based voluntary organization, at a function organized in the Bihar legislative council auditorium.
Kumar was given this award for his contributions towards social justice as the chief minister of the state.
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He is the fifth Indian politician to get this award. Prior to him, politicians, such as late Prime Minister VP Singh, late Congress president Sitaram Kesari, former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi and Miss Mayawati, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, had been given this award.
While receiving the award, Kumar thanked the Periyar International Board for choosing him for the award saying he was feeling privileged after the honour.
In his address, Kumar raised the issue of granting reservation to the backward, dalits and deprived across religious lines saying the deprived could be from any religions.
“I had raised the issue of granting reservation to the dalit Muslims in the 14th Lok Sabha. I had told that time that SC/ST and backward people could be from any religion. In due course, Dalit Buddhists and Dalit Sikhs were given benefits of reservation but the Dalit Muslims and Christians were left out,” he said.
He also batted for increasing the existing quota limit of 50 percent reservation while seeking for reservation in private sector too.
“Jaroorat padane pa jaise hamane 1915 ke kanoon me sansodhan kiya hai to arakshan ki seema 50 percent se adhik badane hetu samvidhan me sansodhan kiya ja sakata hai (We many bring amendment in the Constitution to increase the existing quota limit of 50 percent the way other amendments have come depending upon the necessity of the time),” he opined.
The chief minister also talked about how he had given 50 percent reservation to women in local bodies’ and panchayat elections and 33 percent reservation to this community in the government jobs, showing his equal treatment for all.
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