HJC opposes caste-based reservation

Amid fresh demands for OBC status to Jat community Hisar MP and Haryana Janhit Congress president Kuldeep Bishnoi today said his party was opposed to any more reservation based on caste and religion as that would create divides in the society.

He was responding to a query regarding the ongoing agitation for OBC status for Jat community in Haryana while interacting with media persons here. Bishnoi said he has always advocated "reservation for weaker sections of society but the basis of that should be the economic status."

He also said the central government should expedite the work of linking rivers in the country as that would be in larger national interest and states like Haryana may get their due share in the river waters.

The novel idea and project of linking rivers was a brainchild of the erstwhile NDA government led by AB Vajpayee but the present government put the same on back burner, he said. He said the decision of the Apex Court in this regard should be executed in a speedy manner.

Haryana had been waiting for its share in river waters that was to come by way of SYL Canal for decades now, he added.

Bishnoi said while preparing the next Budget, the Union Finance Minister should keep in mind the needs and rights of the people of the state of Haryana and demanded that a special package must be given to Haryana for various development projects as the state has suffered on development front under the present Congress dispensation.