BJP won’t allow BC quota to Muslims in Haryana: Amit Shah
“The Congress government gave reservation to Muslims in the backward class in Karnataka. If they come to power in Haryana, they will do the same here, ” said Amit Shah during an event in Mahendragarh district of Haryana
The Congress has consistently been anti-backward classes (BCs) and opposed reservation to BCs even as Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi introduced a 27% quota for BCs in premier educational and medical institutes, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday and targeted former Haryana Congress chief minister (CM) Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his “Haryana Maange Hisaab” campaign.
Addressing the state-level Backward Classes Samman Sammelan in Mahendragarh district of Haryana, the Union home minister alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka had reallocated BC reservations to Muslims and warned that similar actions could occur in Haryana if Congress is voted back to power in assembly election due in October.
“The Congress government gave reservation to Muslims in the backward class in Karnataka. If they come to power in Haryana, they will do the same here,” Shah warned, urging the gathering to support the BJP in the assembly elections due in October.
“I want to assure you that we will not allow Muslim reservation in Haryana,” he added.
Repeatedly emphasising the BJP’s commitment to the BC community, Shah reminded the audience that Modi’s government is dedicated to Dalits, the poor, and BCs, noting that 27 Union ministers are from these communities, including two from Haryana.
Hitting out at the Congress for not implementing the Kaka Kalelkar Commission’s recommendations for OBC reservations in the 1950s and accusing the Congress of stalling the Mandal Commission in 1980, Shah urged the BC community to wholeheartedly support the BJP in the upcoming state assembly elections. He asserted that the BJP will form a majority government in Haryana for the third consecutive time.
“In 1980, former PM Indira Gandhi kept the matter of reservation to OBCs in cold storage, and later in 1990, PM Rajiv Gandhi stoutly opposed Mandal Commission. Rajiv Gandhi delivered a more than two-and-a-half-hour long speech and opposed OBC reservation,” Shah said, pointing out that on the other hand, BJP took a series of pro-BCs steps like increasing annual income limit from ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh for identifying persons in the creamy layer among the BCs for reservation in public employment and educational institutions.
‘BJP will demand10-year account from Congress’
Lashing out at Hooda and the Congress for their campaign, Shah challenged Hooda to account for their 10 years of governance compared to the BJP’s. He said the BJP has ensured transparency and development in the state, while corruption flourished when Hooda was CM.
“We are fully prepared to apprise people of the steps the BJP government has taken in 10 years for the development of the state. When the Congress was in power in Haryana, corruption of the highest order prevailed,” Shah said, challenging Hooda to give an account of what he did as CM of the state.
“The Congress in Haryana has done nothing in the name of development. It has only divided people on caste lines... Hooda sahab, you have to give an account of 10 years of misgovernance and depriving Haryana of development,” Shah said in a frontal attack on the Congress, which on Monday launched the campaign, under which it will target the ruling BJP on several fronts, including unemployment and law and order, ahead of the assembly polls.
“Hooda starts chanting ‘BC-BC-BC’ when elections are near,” said Shah, adding “In contrast, BJP granted constitutional rights to the BCs and PM Modi introduced 27% reservation for OBCs in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools and NEET examinations for the first time.”
Calling upon the people, including BJP workers, to go from village to village and demand an account of how much money was spent on development works during the 10-year rule of Congress, the Union home minister said the BJP workers will visit all 6,225 panchayats to present an account of the development works carried out by the BJP.
He said BJP workers will also demand an account of the development works done by Congress for the people of Haryana over the past 10 years. Asking Hooda to come forward with statistics, he said. “What account will he ask from us? We will provide the account. The people of Haryana will demand an account from Congress.”
‘Saini continues to be a common man’
Praising Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini for his simplicity and accessibility, Shah said despite becoming chief minister, Saini continues to be a common man. “Saini CM to bana hai, par chief minister nahi bana hai...He is a common man and his doors are open round the clock for all,” Shah said, urging the crowd to give an assurance that they will support the BJP in the assembly elections.
‘Haryana makes country self-sufficient’
Paying homage to the great freedom fighter Rao Tula Ram, the Union home minister said the entire country remembers Haryana for three things. First, Haryana has the highest representation in military services. Second, out of the 10 medals India wins in the country’s sports tally, seven are brought home by the “Dhaakad” athletes of the state. Third, it is the farmers of Haryana who make the country self-sufficient in food.
It was Shah’s second visit to Haryana in less than three weeks and the Union home minister urged the crowd to back the BJP in the forthcoming elections, reaffirming the party’s commitment to the state’s development.
A battery of front-line leaders of the BJP in Haryana and at the Centre were present on this occasion.