PM Modi invokes Ambedkar to target Congress on reservations: ‘Nehru would have…’

Lok Sabha elections: Prime Minister Narendra Modi also charged the opposition INDIA bloc with having plans to give reservation benefits "based on religion"

Published on: May 21, 2024, 17:00:51 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused India's first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru of ‘opposing’ reservations for the deprived castes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election public meeting for Lok Sabha polls,in Motihari, Bihar. (Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

Addressing a rally in Bihar's Motihari, the prime minister said,"Had it not been for Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Nehru would have never agreed to quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs. Nehru had made his views clear on the issue in letters he wrote to the then chief ministers in the country."

"This has been the Congress' trait under successive prime ministers. Be it, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi, they all opposed reservations. SCs, STs and OBCs have never got respect from the Congress", Modi was quoted by PTI as saying.

ALSO READ: Lok Sabha polls 2024: Modi attacks Opposition in Bihar, reiterates reservation remark

Modi made the allegation while lashing out at the opposition parties including Congress, accusing them of spreading a "falsehood" that the BJP, upon return to power with a brute majority, could scrap quotas by changing the Constitution.

ALSO READ: BJP will end reservation if voted to power: Kejriwal

“The truth is that we have been protecting the rights of the deprived castes. It is only with the NDA led by BJP that rights of SCs, STs and OBCs are secure,” he added.

The prime minister also charged the opposition INDIA bloc with having plans to give reservation benefits "based on religion".

"They want to do this because they are now left with just one vote bank. They are no longer supported by SCs, STs and OBCs, so they now care for only those carrying out a vote jihad", Modi added.

During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Modi has time and again accused the Congress of trying to give away the reservations meant for the SC, ST and OBC communities on the basis of religion.

“They (Congress) are the people who stop the functioning of the Parliament, they question the Election Commission, they question the EVM, and now for their vote bank, they are insulting the constitution... Till the time I am alive, I will not let them give the reservation meant for Dalits, SCs, STs, and OBCs to the Muslims in the name of religion,” he had said in one of the rallies, in Telangana's Medak.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike LIVE and more across India.