He said when the Constitution was drafted, to protect the unity and integrity of the country, it was decided that there won’t be religion-based reservation.He said Congress’s decision to declare all Muslims in Karnataka as “backward”, on a par with OBCs, was inimical to the interests of backward classes.
“Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, was against reservation on religious lines, but Congress… stabbed him in the back,” PM said. “Reservation to Muslims was unlawful. It’s an alarm bell for OBC communities of the entire country,” he said.
Responding to Modi’s statement, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote on X, “It’s true that in Karnataka, Muslims have been included in the 2B category for backward classes. This is not something done now. It has been based on the reports of Backward Classes Commissions. This reservation has been in place for the past three decades.
“Neither the BJP govt previously in power in the state, nor the Narendra Modi-led Union govt that has been in power for the past 10 years has questioned this reservation. Moreover, no one, including BJP, has challenged it in court,” Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote on X.
He was reacting to a comment of PM Modi on reservation in Karnataka. “Overnight, all Muslims, regardless of wealth or social status, were turned into OBCs by the signing of a piece of paper. OBCs reservation rights were snatched clandestinely and illegally and given to Muslims. This was against the principles of Babasaheb Ambedkar,” PM said in Morena on his second day of electioneering in Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) chairperson Hansraj Ahir took cognisance of the matter and summoned the Karnataka chief secretary for not submitting the report based on which Muslims were included in the OBC category on the grounds of religion.
In Morena, Modi was relentless in his attack on Congress. “Congress wants to implement the Karnataka model in the entire country. Congress hatched a conspiracy against Scheduled Castes, tribals and backward classes. On Dec 19, 2011, during the Congress-led UPA regime, the Union govt brought a note in the cabinet meeting to cut into the 27% OBC reservation and make place for religion-based quota. Two days later, govt issued an order which was later quashed by Andhra Pradesh High Court. Congress went to Supreme Court but got no relief,” he said.
“The Congress manifesto of 2014 talked about religion-based reservation in jobs and education and it is influenced by the Muslim League. They said they will make a law for this, if needed. OBCs, Dalits and tribals woke up. They realised their later generations would be ruined, so they voted Congress out and turned its ploys to dust. Still, they didn’t learn and are trying out new ploys. If Congress wins, it will snatch reservation rights of OBCs and hand it over to its favourite votebank,” he further said.
Modi said at the time of independence, Congress accepted partition on religious lines. “Instead of cutting the shackles fastening the wrists of Ma Bharti, they chopped off her arms. They divided the country but are still not willing to rectify it. Congress feels this is the easiest path for benefits. Today, again, Congress is restless for the chair. And to get that chair, they are adopting various ploys. They want to deceive crores of people, destroy the future of the country by making religious appeasement a pawn,” he said.
“BJP operates on the motto of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’. During the Covid crisis, there was no discrimination on the basis of caste or religion when 80 crore needy people were given free rations. Have you ever heard a complaint that a Muslim brother living in the village got no rations? BJP govt has given 4 crore homes to the poor without any discrimination and reached tap water to 11 crore households. Every community should get these benefits equally,” he said.