NEW DELHI: The political slugfest over reservations took centrestage once again on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi citing RJD chief Lalu Prasad‘s pitch for Muslim quota to allege that a “dangerous conspiracy of Congress and INDI alliance” has been exposed. The opposition counter came from Sonia Gandhi who accused PM Modi and the BJP of promoting hatred for political gains.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi latched on to Lalu’s remarks that “Muslims should get complete reservations” to renew his attack that the opposition bloc wants to give complete reservation to Muslims by snatching it from the SCs, STs and OBCs.
“Today, a senior leader of the INDI alliance who has eaten animal fodder, has been convicted by court in a corruption case and is out on bail due to health reasons is saying Muslims should not just get reservation but all the reservation should be given to Muslims. This means they want all the reservation to Muslims by snatching it from the SCs, STs and OBCs,” PM Modi said at an election rally attacking the opposition alliance over Lalu’s remarks.
“Modi is asking for 400 seats so that the Congress does not hand over the country’s vacant land and islands to other countries, it does not take away reservation given to SC/ST/OBCs and give it to its vote bank, and does not declare all castes of its vote bank as OBC overnight,” he said.
PM Modi had earlier also accused the Congress of distributing people’s property, land and gold among Muslims if the party was voted to power. He had then cited Congress’s promise to address the inequality of wealth and income in its manifesto and had linked it to an old statement of Manmohan Singh of minorities, especially Muslims, having the first right on nation’s resources.
The BJP also targeted the opposition over Lalu’s remarks. “This word, ‘pura ka pura’ (full), used by him in his statement, is very serious. This makes it clear that they (INDIA bloc) want to provide reservation to Muslims from the share of SCs, STs and OBCs,” BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said.
‘I am senior to Narendra Modi’
With PM Modi and the BJP unleashing a fresh offensive on Muslim reservations, Lalu was quick to issue a clarification. Lalu Prasad said he was in favour of extending reservation benefits to Muslims but emphasised that it should be based on social backwardness and “not on the basis of religion”. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo further claimed that it was he who had implemented the Mandal Commission.
“I am senior to Narendra Modi (in politics). He does not know many things that I know. It was during my reign Mandal Commission recommendations were implemented (in Bihar). There are hundreds of social groups which got reservations as per the Mandal Commission report. But it was done not on the basis of religion. In the Constitution, there is no provision for reservations on religious basis”, Lalu Prasad said.
‘Fabric of society being torn apart’
However, it was former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi who countered PM Modi’s all-round offensive against the Congress and the opposition INDIA bloc. In a video message, the former UPA chairperson accused PM Modi and BJP of promoting hatred for political gains. Sonia alleged that fabric of society was being torn apart and expressed anguish at Constitution and democracy being under threat.
Sonia claimed that youth unemployment, crimes against women and discrimination against Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities had reached unprecedented levels under the BJP government. These challenges, she claimed, stem from the “niyat” (intention) and “niti” (policy) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP which aim for power, rejecting inclusivity and dialogue.
The senior Congress leader appealed to the people to reject the proponents of lies and hatred and vote for her party for a “brighter and more equal future” for all. She said the Congress and the INDIA bloc members were committed to defending the Constitution and democracy.
(With inputs from agencies)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi latched on to Lalu’s remarks that “Muslims should get complete reservations” to renew his attack that the opposition bloc wants to give complete reservation to Muslims by snatching it from the SCs, STs and OBCs.
“Today, a senior leader of the INDI alliance who has eaten animal fodder, has been convicted by court in a corruption case and is out on bail due to health reasons is saying Muslims should not just get reservation but all the reservation should be given to Muslims. This means they want all the reservation to Muslims by snatching it from the SCs, STs and OBCs,” PM Modi said at an election rally attacking the opposition alliance over Lalu’s remarks.
“Modi is asking for 400 seats so that the Congress does not hand over the country’s vacant land and islands to other countries, it does not take away reservation given to SC/ST/OBCs and give it to its vote bank, and does not declare all castes of its vote bank as OBC overnight,” he said.
PM Modi had earlier also accused the Congress of distributing people’s property, land and gold among Muslims if the party was voted to power. He had then cited Congress’s promise to address the inequality of wealth and income in its manifesto and had linked it to an old statement of Manmohan Singh of minorities, especially Muslims, having the first right on nation’s resources.
The BJP also targeted the opposition over Lalu’s remarks. “This word, ‘pura ka pura’ (full), used by him in his statement, is very serious. This makes it clear that they (INDIA bloc) want to provide reservation to Muslims from the share of SCs, STs and OBCs,” BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said.
‘I am senior to Narendra Modi’
With PM Modi and the BJP unleashing a fresh offensive on Muslim reservations, Lalu was quick to issue a clarification. Lalu Prasad said he was in favour of extending reservation benefits to Muslims but emphasised that it should be based on social backwardness and “not on the basis of religion”. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo further claimed that it was he who had implemented the Mandal Commission.
“I am senior to Narendra Modi (in politics). He does not know many things that I know. It was during my reign Mandal Commission recommendations were implemented (in Bihar). There are hundreds of social groups which got reservations as per the Mandal Commission report. But it was done not on the basis of religion. In the Constitution, there is no provision for reservations on religious basis”, Lalu Prasad said.
‘Fabric of society being torn apart’
However, it was former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi who countered PM Modi’s all-round offensive against the Congress and the opposition INDIA bloc. In a video message, the former UPA chairperson accused PM Modi and BJP of promoting hatred for political gains. Sonia alleged that fabric of society was being torn apart and expressed anguish at Constitution and democracy being under threat.
Sonia claimed that youth unemployment, crimes against women and discrimination against Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities had reached unprecedented levels under the BJP government. These challenges, she claimed, stem from the “niyat” (intention) and “niti” (policy) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP which aim for power, rejecting inclusivity and dialogue.
The senior Congress leader appealed to the people to reject the proponents of lies and hatred and vote for her party for a “brighter and more equal future” for all. She said the Congress and the INDIA bloc members were committed to defending the Constitution and democracy.
(With inputs from agencies)