Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed on Sunday that the INDIA bloc parties plan to change the Constitution to give reservations based on religion. He accused them of trying to make the country’s majority community into second-class citizens.
Speaking at a public meeting in Ghosi, Purvanchal, Modi alleged that the opposition group wants to remove reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities and give them all to Muslims. He accused the INDIA bloc of creating conflicts among different castes.
Modi criticised the Samajwadi Party and Congress, saying they have neglected Purvanchal for years, turning it into a ‘region plagued by mafia, poverty and helplessness.’ He claimed the INDIA bloc is trying to weaken communities by causing caste conflicts to distract people from real issues.
“Today, I have come to alert the people of Purvanchal and Ghosi about the big conspiracy of the INDI alliance,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, listing three “big conspiracies” of the group.
“First, the INDI alliance will change the Constitution to introduce reservations based on religion. Second, they will end reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities. Third, they will give all reservations to Muslims based on religion.”
Modi added, “They have found a third way to bypass OBC reservations by declaring Muslim castes as OBC overnight. Recently, the Calcutta High Court rejected OBC reservations for 77 Muslim castes.” He continued, “The SP, Congress and INDI alliance want to make India’s majority community second-class citizens.” Modi accused the SP of deliberately keeping Purvanchal backward and said the people of the region will continue to punish them for it.
Modi calls for exclusion of INDI alliance members from Purvanchal
The prime minister said that people linked with the INDI Alliance, who caused destruction, took over land, supported rioters, and defended criminals, should not be allowed in Purvanchal.
Modi referred to the SP and Congress’ past manifestos, saying, “In 2012 (assembly polls), the SP wrote in its manifesto that reservations given to Dalits by Babasaheb would be similarly given to Muslims.” He also claimed that Congress declared educational institutions as minority establishments to provide reservations to Muslims.
“Before 2014, Congress changed laws overnight to declare schools, colleges, and universities as minority institutions, ending the reservations for SC, ST, and OBC students, and giving them to Muslims,” Modi stated. He called this a major betrayal of Dalit, backward, and tribal students.
He highlighted the significance of the ongoing general elections, stating that a powerful government in India means a powerful prime minister, whose impact will be felt globally.
NDA partner Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party has fielded Arvind Rajbhar for the Ghosi seat. The BJP has nominated Neeraj Shekhar and Ravindra Kushwaha for Ballia and Salempur seats, respectively.
Polling in Ghosi, Ballia, and Salempur will take place on June 1 in the final phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
(With inputs from PTI)