BJP president J.P. Nadda on Monday said there will be no reservation based on religion as long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party are in power at the Centre.
Accusing the Opposition parties of planning to give reservation based on religion, he said: “It is clearly written in the Constitution that there will be no religion-based reservation. As long as PM Modi and BJP are in power, there will be no such reservation.”
The BJP leader was in the town to campaigning for Mr. Modi, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi for the third consecutive time.
Wait for June 4: Nadda
"We will not allow anyone to encroach on the reservation of our Dalit, tribal, backward and extremely backward classes. You will see what will happen to the Opposition on June 4 (counting day)," Mr. Nadda said, while talking to reporters in Varanasi.
Addressing an intellectuals' meeting here, he said, "For a long time, politics meant 'divide and rule'. But now, the 'politics of development' is going on... What was the political situation 10 years ago?" He said India was back then being counted among the corrupt countries but the biggest problem was that the common man had become indifferent towards politics and his faith had been broken.
The BJP chief said this becomes a threat to democracy but in the last 10 years, Prime Minister Modi created a trust among the common man about the country's development.
Earlier, the Opposition had spread casteism and created divisions on the basis of religion and region in the country, he said.
Politics of development
"Prime Minister Modi has also given a jolt to this culture. Today, a politics of development is going on and in this, 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka prayaas aur sabka vishwas' (everyone's support, development, effort and trust) is the basis."
Mr. Nadda also offered prayers at the Kaal Bhairav temple and Kashi Vishwanath temple. "Whenever I come to Varanasi, I pay obeisance to Kal Bhairav temple, Sankat Mochan and Kashi Vishwanath temple. As we all know, Kashi is a religious city and the city which takes forward Sanatana Dharma. I get new energy from here," he said.
"I have prayed for the well-being of the society, peace and happiness and to give strength to the development works initiated in the Narendra Modi government. Modi will become PM for the third time," he added.
Later addressing a meeting of a group of weavers in Varanasi, Mr. Nadda said: "When G20 was organised, the clothes given to the guests were made by our weaver brothers. Work was done to advance the traditional skills of the country." The 18th G20 Summit was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi between September 9 and 10 last year.
Similarly, at least ₹300 crore is being invested by Deendayal Handloom Complex in Varanasi to enable the weavers to rapidly develop their outreach.
Training his guns at the Congress, Mr. Nadda said: "Mahatma Gandhi had given the slogan of promoting khadi. But the Congress party ignored it. If anyone was concerned about khadi, it was Modiji and he worked to bring it into the mainstream. Therefore, 'One District, One Product' was encouraged."
Mr. Nadda also said the “change that has come in the lives of weavers after 2014 has been possible due to the strong leadership of Modiji.”
"Ten years ago, people thought nothing was going to change in this country. People had become indifferent. But under the leadership of Modiji, the hopes and aspirations of the people have changed. Today, they feel that a leader can change the country. Modiji has worked to encourage the weaver community in every way," he said.
Mr. Nadda said along with celebrating National Handloom Day on August 7, work was done to promote the "weaver brothers". Today, India's turnover in the handloom sector has increased five times, he added.
Varanasi, where Mr. Modi is in the fray, will be going to the polls in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha election on June 1. The Congress has fielded its Uttar Pradesh unit president Ajay Rai from the seat.
