Patna, May 5: State commission for extremely backward classes chairman Ratan Kumar Mandal today demanded review of reservation policy, saying the economically well off from the reserved categories should not be given quota benefits.

Ahead of the Assembly elections last year, Ratan's party, the JDU, and the RJD had launched a campaign against the BJP, claiming that it was planning to tinker with reservation issue. The campaign paid rich dividends, as it was evident from the poll outcome.

"Economically well off people in the reserved categories should not get the benefit of reservation and they should also not get the subsidy provided by the government. The poor and needy people should get the benefit of reservation," Ratan told The Telegraph.

In fact, it was JDU president and chief minister Nitish Kumar who had first raised the issue and attacked the RSS and BJP. During the Assembly election, Nitish had even read the excerpts which were published in RSS mouthpieces, Organiser and Panchjanya. Nitish had said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat wanted some other system other than amendment in the Constitution. Nitish had also said Bhagwat was interested in extra-constitutional authority on who should get reservation and how long. Nitish had termed his view "dangerous".

About being firm on the stand as the issue had already created chaos in the past, Ratan said: "I am very much firm on the stand; you should have no doubt on it. Though I am chairman of extremely backward class commission and comes from the extremely class but I do not think I need reservation because I am economically well off. I do not have any political motive behind this comment."

Ratan is also a professor at Tej Narayan Banali College, Bhagalpur, and he was appointed the commission chairman on July 27, 2015.

The importance of the reservation issue can be understood from the fact that during the Assembly polls campaign Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to openly defy the RSS view, saying nobody could take away reservations to Dalits in government jobs and education.

Lalu too had used the card of reservation in 200 and more rallies. The RJD chief had said the RSS and BJP were making conspiracy to take away the quota. Lalu went on to say that it was a fight between the backward and forward which finally turned into a big weapon for the Grand Alliance.

Asked about leaving the post of chairman as he economically well off, Ratan said: "It is up to the government to do that."

However, the JDU distanced itself from Ratan's comment. Party spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar said: "He should not say all this, especially while holding a constitutional post. The JDU does not endorse his comment. Our party believes in development with justice and we do not want to create tension in society. There is no question of having any view over change in the reservation policy."

Even the RJD did not like the comment and suggested him to be silent on such issues. Senior party leader and cabinet minister Vijay Prakash said: "If something exists for the past many years, what is the need to come out with an expert comment? If anything happens, it would take place as per time. Before that no one should speak on such matters."