Former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai has said he has been "widely criticised" by people from his own community for stating in a judgement that the creamy layer principle should be applied to reservation for the Scheduled Castes.

Gavai said that, in Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s view, affirmative action was like giving a bicycle to someone who was lagging behind. He then reportedly asked whether Ambedkar believed that such a person should keep the bicycle forever. Ambedkar did not think so, he claimed.

Gavai, who retired as CJI recently, was delivering a lecture on "Role of Affirmative Action in Promoting Equal Opportunity" at Mumbai University on Saturday.

"Babasaheb, in so far affirmative action is concerned, was of the view that it is like providing a cycle to those who are lagging behind..

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