The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of being “anti-reservation” and of opposing the interests of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Adivasis, citing a statement of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in the U.S.
At a university event in the U.S. on September 10, Mr. Gandhi said the Congress would think of scrapping reservation when India became a “fair place”, which it was not.
Addressing a press conference, former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “The one who claims to protect the Constitution, Rahul Gandhi, has said in America that when conditions so warrant of fairness ‘we’ will scrap reservation...this is a statement of grave intent.” Mr. Gandhi was on a mission mode to “demean, degrade, and insult India whenever he goes abroad”, he said.
“The prejudice against reservation that Rahul Gandhi has in abundance got reflected in America. His opposition to reservation is part of his legacy... you might know that we have often mentioned Nehruji’s letter where he had told the Chief Ministers that reservation should not undermine merit. Indira Gandhi opposed reservation, and Rajiv Gandhi also openly opposed the Mandal Commission,” he said.
Stating that Mr. Gandhi’s was not an off-the-cuff remark, the BJP leader alleged that it was a well-thought-out strategy and conspiracy that “when the time comes, they will end reservation”.
‘Against OBCs, Adivasis’
“Our accusation is that the Congress party is anti-reservation, anti-Dalit, and opposes the interests of OBCs and Adivasis...you [Mr. Gandhi] talk about reservation all the time, but who will be the leader of the Congress? The position is reserved for a family name...Will a Dalit, OBC, or Adivasi ever get a place in Congress leadership,” he asked.
“Look at our vision, the Prime Minister comes from a backward class, and the BJP has twice had the opportunity to make a Dalit the President...we don’t just talk; we deliver. The BJP has made many OBC Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers. We have made SC Chief Ministers as well. The leaders include Kalyan Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Narendra Modi, Uma Bharti, Gopinath Munde, Sushil Modi, Samrat Choudhary, Vishnu Deo Sai, Mohan Yadav, etc.,” said the BJP leader.
He alleged that the Congress’s commitment to the Constitution was a sham, which was reflected in its opposition to a recent film on the Emergency as it revealed the “truth” about how censorship was imposed on the Press during that time.
“The BJP will oppose any attempt by the Congress to scrap reservation,” Mr. Prasad said. He also questioned the “silence” of the other Opposition parties to Mr. Gandhi’s remark, targeting Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, the Left leaders, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, and DMK chief M.K. Stalin.
Published - September 10, 2024 10:32 pm IST
