Our society is caste-ridden since the beginning, Uma Bharti said.
Union minister Uma Bharti said on Thursday that caste-based reservations cannot be abolished, answering a question about the agitation by some upper caste organisations in Madhya Pradesh against Parliament's amendment of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The amendment restored the provision of immediate arrest under the Act, after the Supreme Court earlier this year inserted certain safeguards.
"One thing is sure that caste-based reservations cannot be done away with, as our society is caste-ridden since the beginning," the BJP leader said.
Madhya Pradesh Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that no injustice will be done, Ms Bharti said, apparently referring to his statement that complaints would be registered under the SC/STAct only after due investigation.