Reservation and hand-holding of deprived sections being ensured, claims Modi

Despite revelations of violation of reservation policy across educational institutions and increasing demands for a caste-based census, PM Modi on Sunday said that reservation is being ensured for Dalits, STs, backward classes and the poor in the general category. In his independence day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the PM added that hand-holding of deprived communities is necessary and ensuring that no one is left behind in India's journey of development.

"Hand holding has to be done of those sections and regions that are deprived and are behind. Reservation is being ensured for Dalits, STs, backwards and general category poor," the Prime Minister said.

"We are ensuring that no one gets left behind in India's journey of development," he said. Furthermore, India will now have a 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10% for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) under the All India Quota scheme, he added.

"A law has been passed in Parliament to give states the power to make their own OBC lists," he added, referring to the bill passed in the Monsoon session of the parliament to restore the states' power to devise their OBC lists.