Government to find solution to Jat quota issue within legal framework

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government will try to find a solution within the legal framework on the issue of Supreme Court scrapping reservation for Jats.

He stated this to a 70-member delegation of Jats from various states which met him here to discuss issues related to the community, including the recent Supreme Court decision regarding reservation.

"The Prime Minister listened carefully to the issues raised by the delegation. He said the government is studying the Supreme Court decision and will try to find a solution to the issue within the legal framework," a PMO statement said.

The top court on March 17 scrapped reservation for the Jat community given by the UPA government in nine states.

Setting aside the notification extending the OBC status to Jats, the apex court slammed the Centre's decision to overlook the finding of an OBC panel that Jat is not a backward class.

"Caste, though a prominent factor, cannot be the sole factor of determining the backwardness of a class," the bench had said, while referring to the historic judgement rendered by a larger bench on the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations on OBC reservations.

During the meeting with the Jat delegation, the Prime Minister urged them to take the lead in implementing his favourite campaign of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (save daughter, educate daughter)