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Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday said the government would engage with protesters opposing reservation if their demands were presented in a systematic manner. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, meanwhile, said reservation is a constitutional right and termed the demand to abolish it unconstitutional.

The protesters are demanding that economic criteria, rather than caste, should be given priority in determining eligibility for government assistance and reservation.

Speaking to reporters in Patna, Paswan said any misunderstanding over reservation could create resentment among a large section of the country's population. On the demand for reservation based on economic criteria, he pointed out that the NDA government has already implemented 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

What Paswan Said About Tejashwi Yadav

Asked about RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav extending support to the students' protest in Patna, Paswan said it was a good thing and was in line with his responsibility as the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly.

"It would have been better if Tejashwi Yadav had also been present during the proceedings of the House and raised these issues there," he said.

Paswan said that although belatedly, Yadav was fulfilling his responsibilities as the Leader of the Opposition, which was a positive development.

He added that despite being part of the government, he had tried to act as a bridge to ensure that people's voices reached the government and no one remained unheard.

Athawale Says Reservation Cannot Be Abolished

At a press conference on Saturday, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said some people were demanding the abolition of reservation, while others were running social media campaigns calling for its removal.

He said reservation could not be abolished as it is a constitutional right.

Referring to the extension of reservation from Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Athawale said there was no merit in demands to scrap the system as it benefits various groups in need.

He noted that while untouchability has been prohibited under Article 17 of the Constitution, caste-based discrimination and atrocities against SC communities continue in rural India.

"Our stand is very clear. Those who want to abolish reservation should first ensure that the caste system is abolished," he said.

Demand Over Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee

Athawale also demanded that the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee should have eight Buddhist trustees instead of the existing arrangement of four Hindus and four Buddhists, with the Gaya district magistrate serving as its ex-officio chairman. The committee functions under the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949, which predates the Constitution of India.

"We are not against Hindus or any other religious community, but our demand is that Buddhist places of worship should be managed by Buddhists themselves," he said.

Athawale said he had sought time from Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to discuss the issue and would also meet the governor over the matter.

Several Buddhist monks present at the press conference announced that they would observe a five-day hunger strike in Patna's Gardanibagh area to press for their demands.