Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday stated that the Congress first introduced reservations for Muslims in the united Andhra Pradesh region, which led to a reduction in OBC reservations.
“In Karnataka, they placed all Muslims in the OBC category without proper surveys or assessments of backwardness and reserved a 4 percent quota for them, again diminishing reservations for backward classes,” Shah said while addressing media persons at the state BJP office in Guwahati, Assam, ahead of the third-phase Lok Sabha elections.
“But BJP believes that reservations based on religion are not constitutional and are against the principles of the Constitution. When we take power in these states, we will eliminate reservations based on religion and work to ensure justice for SC-ST and OBC communities,” he claimed while alleging that the Congress, during its tenure, attempted to compromise reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities.
“BJP supports reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities and will continue to protect them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated this stance in many public speeches. If any political party has attempted to compromise reservations for SC-ST and OBC communities, it is the Congress party,” the home minister said.
Shah further said that BJP’s internal assessment has indicated that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has “secured far more than 100 seats” in the two phases of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections held so far.
“According to the BJP’s internal assessment, in the two phases of the election completed so far, BJP and NDA have significantly secured far more than 100 seats,” Shah said while addressing a media conference at the state BJP office here.
“With great confidence, the blessings, and the support of the people, BJP is moving forward towards the goal of ‘400 Paar’. In Assam, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand, BJP appears to be achieving significant electoral success,” Shah said while predicting that the BJP-led alliance in Assam would bag at least 12 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats.
“Alongside this, voting has already taken place in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala in the south, with some parts left in other regions. But the initial trends show that BJP is receiving a very good response in southern India as well,” the Union home minister, who had taken part in a roadshow here on Monday evening, said.
Shah refuted the narrative put forward by Congress and other Opposition parties that the BJP’s goal of surpassing 400 seats was to change the Constitution and end reservations. He strongly criticized Congress for attempting to mislead the public through fake videos, alleging that the Opposition party was spreading falsehood to incite unrest among the people.
The fake video spread by Congress and the actual speech video of Shah was also presented to the journalists.
“Congress has been trying to twist the goal of ‘400 Paar’. They have tried to portray the goal as a means to change the Constitution, while also spreading false claims that BJP will abolish reservations after surpassing 400 seats,” he said.
“Both of these claims are baseless and unsubstantiated. The people of the country have given the BJP a clear majority in both 2014 and 2019 elections. The party has been running a government with a clear majority for 10 years,” he added.
“Unlike Congress, we have not used our majority to impose an emergency and strangle democracy, extend the term of the Lok Sabha, or amend the Constitution. Instead, we have used our majority to end Article 370 and triple talaq. We have also used it to combat COVID-19, to replace colonial laws with laws rooted in Indian culture and tradition, and with the court’s decision in hand, the government has played its role in the construction of the Ram Mandir,” Shah said.
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Shah stated that since the Congress leader took charge of the party, politics has descended to its lowest level.
“Since Rahul Gandhi took charge of the Congress, politics has descended to the lowest level. Preventing discussions in the Lok Sabha, boycotting debates in the Rajya Sabha, and spreading baseless rumors among the public are examples of this low-level politics, which the Congress under his leadership continues to engage in,” he pointed out.
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“Now, their attempt to disseminate fake videos to garner fake public support is highly condemnable and no major political party in Indian politics has ever done such a thing,” he added.
Shah urged journalists to deliver the truth and protect the public from misinformation. Instead of spreading fake videos and distorting the BJP’s manifesto, the Opposition political parties should contest elections based on their principles, actions, and manifestos.
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