Patna, Aug 28 (IANS) On Raksha Bandhan, a warm celebration of the brother-sister bond was witnessed at the Patna residence of Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) national president Chirag Paswan.
His sisters tied rakhis on him, while Shambhavi Choudhary, the party's youngest MP from Samastipur, also tied a Rakhi to Chirag.
Shambhavi described Chirag as her elder brother and the party's national president, saying she has been tying a Rakhi to him every year.
She said she has always received his love, affection, blessings and protection and expressed her wish that he achieves success both nationally and internationally.
"Some bonds transcend blood relations. There are bonds we forge ourselves, and my relationship with Chirag Bhaiya is one such bond. It will always remain unbreakable," Shambhavi said.
Chirag Paswan extended Raksha Bandhan greetings to brothers and sisters in India and across the world.
He also expressed solidarity with the people affected by the devastating floods in Nepal, noting that the festival is celebrated with enthusiasm in both India and Nepal.
During his interaction with the media, Chirag Paswan once again strongly opposed any proposal to review the reservation system.
He said those calling for a review were, in his view, ultimately seeking to move towards its abolition.
Describing reservation as an important instrument of social justice, Chirag said the Constitution provides the mechanism to help marginalised communities join the mainstream.
He emphasised that reservation is a constitutional right, not charity.
He further stated that there should be no discussion about reviewing the reservation and warned that any attempt to alter the system could trigger widespread public opposition.
Chirag also criticised those advocating changes to the existing reservation framework, arguing that such moves could undermine the principle of social justice.
Chirag's remarks come amid differing views among NDA leaders on the issue.
Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) president, Jitan Ram Manjhi, has called for a review of the reservation system and advocated sub-categorisation within the Scheduled Castes, effectively proposing a "quota within a quota."
Bihar minister and HAM leader, Santosh Kumar Suman, has also spoken in favour of reviewing the reservation system, highlighting an emerging debate within the alliance over the issue.
--IANS
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