NEW DELHI: Union minister Chirag Paswan has said the government is willing to hold talks with protesters opposing caste-based reservation, provided they put forward their demands in a systematic manner.“Any sort of misunderstanding around reservation can create anger among a large section of the country’s population. Once the protesters present their demands systematically, the government will engage in dialogue with them,” Paswan told reporters in Patna on Saturday, as quoted by PTI.The statement comes as a large group of protesters gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar carrying banners, posters and saffron flags, and raised slogans against caste-based quotas. They are seeking a system in which economic criteria take precedence over caste when determining eligibility for government support and reservation.Meanwhile, responding to the demand for economically based quotas, Paswan pointed to the NDA government’s existing 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).Paswan also criticised the Congress over its protest outside the Parliament Street police station, accusing the party of trying to shift attention from the Vande Mataram controversy. He said protests were constitutionally permitted but alleged that the Congress was using one issue to divert attention from another.The remarks referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s dharna seeking an FIR over pellet injuries allegedly suffered by 19-year-old Sahil Lochab during CJP-led protests.
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Seprately, on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav backing the students’ protest in Patna, Paswan said the move was “a good thing” and “consistent with his responsibility” as Bihar’s Leader of Opposition.
Anti-reservation protests
A large crowd gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Friday under the banner of Reservation Hatao Andolan, demanding an overhaul of caste-based reservation. The protesters called for quotas in education and government jobs to be based on income rather than caste, and sought a “one family, one reservation” policy. More than 50 protesters were detained amid heavy security, according to reports.The group has now planned another protest for Sunday at Shah Auditorium against the reservation system and the UGC Equity Regulations, 2026. Although Delhi Police said no permission has been granted for the gathering and warned that prohibitory orders banning demonstrations and assemblies of five or more people are already in force in the North District.
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