Reservation 'Jumla' was in Congress' manifesto in 2014: Arun Jaitley

Countering allegations on the timing behind government's move to include economically weaker categories within the general category for reservation, Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley read out Congress' 2014 poll manifesto and alleged them of resorting to double standards.

Reservation is introduced to give equality of opportunity to all citizens of India, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Equals cannot be treated unequally and the unequals cannot be treated equally, said Jaitley.

Taking a dig at Congress, Arun Jaitley also asked the party to be little large-hearted to support the bill. "If you are supporting the bill, don't do it grudgingly, be a little large-hearted," Jaitley said on Congress's position that it stands in support of the demand for reservation to economically backward section.


Caste based reservations are available for aided and unaided educational institutions, stated Jaitley. If the communist party rejects the bill, it will be the first time when a left party rejects benefits for the poor, emphasised Jaitley.

The bill is intended to benefit people within the general category who own farm land below 5 acres, people who own a house measuring less than 1,000 square feet, people earning less than 8 lakh annually, Brahmins, several trading castes like Banias, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Gujjars, Bhumihars, Kapus, Kammas and the poor among among other religions and minority communities.