India, Dec. 8 -- Former Chief Justice of India BR 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 reservations for the Scheduled Castes. In Dr BR Ambedkar's view, affirmative action was like providing a bicycle to someone who is lagging behind, Gavai said, asking whether Ambedkar thought that such a person should never give up the bicycle. 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.

Paying tributes to Ambedkar on his death anniversary, Gavai said the iconic leader was the arch...