SHIVAMOGGA: Accusing the
Congress
of supporting the idea of religion-based reservation, despite the fact that it cannot be done as per the
Constitution
, BJP President J P Nadda on Tuesday charged the grand old party with having “vicious and divisive designs”. He said this while speaking at “professionals meet” organised here as part of the BJP’s campaign for Shimoga Lok Sabha candidate B Y Raghavendra.
“In the Constitution, it is very clearly written that there is no place for
religious reservation
, but what they (Congress) did — 4 per cent reservation to Muslims, from
OBC quota
(in Karnataka). Who is against the OBC? They are neither friends of Muslim brethren nor sympathisers of OBC,” Nadda said.
Addressing the gathering, he noted that in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Congress came out with a law four times, where they tried to take reservation of SC/ST and OBCs, to give it to the Muslim community. “We are not against the Muslim community, but we have to understand that the Constitution clearly says that there will be no reservation based on religion, and it is a very deep thought…but these people (Congress) the kind of vicious and divisive designs they have. Are we going to support them?” he asked.
Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, Raghavendra and other party leaders were present. Accusing opposition parties of indulging in ‘divisive politics’, Nadda said, “a few days ago there was a video and they were trying to create an impression and environment that BJP is against SC/ST and OBC, and if we (BJP) come to power the reservations for these communities will go.” “They came out with a fabricated video… people and media exposed the INDI Alliance’s deep fake video. The sad part of it is that the fake video was uploaded on social media from Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s phone, and all partners of the INDI Alliance tried to make it viral….they are in deep depression about BJP and NDA crossing 400 seats under PM’s leadership. This shows their mentality,” he added.
Noting that on one hand there is BJP, which is being led by PM Modi, under whom India is becoming stronger day-by-day and things have changed, the BJP chief said, but it is very sad to note that on the other hand the INDI Alliance, which has got “no perspective, no objective and no direction.” “They (INDIA bloc) are so frustrated that they are trying to build divisive forces and encourage divisive forces, they want to create a north and south divide. When PM speaks about ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas Sabka Prayaas’, they talk about division of north and south,” he added. Claiming that the country has undergone a sea change in the last 10 years, Nadda said, “10 years ago the political discourse was– nothing is going to change, full of depression, there was no enthusiasm and nothing is going to change; but today we can say with confidence that here is a country which is aspiring to become a developed nation under PM Modi.”
Speaking about India’s growth on the global stage and the country having its say in the multilateral forums and “neighborhood first” policy under Modi rule, he said the PM paid more than a hundred overseas visits and ensured that the voice of India and its people should echo in every part of the world in the right perspective. Shimoga goes to polls along with 13 other Lok Sabha segments in the state on May 7.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah always talks about Karnataka not getting its due, Nadda said. “Siddaramaiah will never get his due, because they (Congress) don’t believe in mission, they believe in commission, that they are not going to get.” “There is a raise of 275 per cent from the UPA era, as far as allocating funds to Karnataka (from Centre during NDA) is concerned,” he said, highlighting several centrally sponsored developmental and infrastructure projects in the state.
