Team Herald
PANJIM: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday backed the reservation policy saying it is needed to bring up people from different sections of society, but cautioned against exploitation of the policy.
Addressing the Yuva Melava in Panjim, Parrikar said, “I confess that there is some misuse of reservation quota system in India but on the other side I feel the need to bring up other sections of society through proper channel.”
He added, “If we see the condition of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Schedule Caste (SC) elsewhere in the country, it is not good but if we look at our own State, the situations is completely different.”
Further, he said he still follows the same principles he did when he first joined politics. “I do my personal things with my own money. You will be surprised that there is no army official at my residence except for those attached to me officially.”
If you visit my official residence in New Delhi, you are bound to see things which are given to me by the government.”
Asked about the violence and atrocities girls in India face, Parrikar said, “Atrocities against girls will not be tolerated. If you tell me of such instances in Goa, I will take serious action and that person will not get the courage to do it again. In the last five years, there are less of such things in Goa. We cannot say it is totally zero but as compared to other states, Goa is better.”
Interacting with students, Parrikar said, the BJP manifesto would be released on January 27 and the focus would to create employment opportunities through Public Private Partnership projects which include the airport at Mopa and IT Habitat in Chimbel.
