New Delhi, April 26 – BJP President J P Nadda accused the Congress on Friday of attempting to usurp the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs to favor Muslims, alleging that this was a concealed agenda of the opposition party.
Nadda, in a video statement during the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls, continued BJP’s efforts to portray Congress as prioritizing the interests of Muslims over traditionally disadvantaged Hindu groups. He referenced former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statements from 2006 and 2009, emphasizing the Congress’s purported intentions to provide minority communities, especially Muslims, with first rights on the nation’s resources.
Highlighting state-level instances, Nadda mentioned Congress’s efforts to provide reservations for Muslims in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. He also pointed out promises made by Congress in its 2009 election manifesto regarding reservation for Muslims in educational institutions and jobs through a sub-quota within the Other Backward Classes category.
Nadda criticized Congress’s approach in the 2024 poll manifesto, alleging a “hate” for SCs, STs, and OBCs, who constitute a majority in society. He accused Congress of leveraging the Sachar committee report to advocate for Muslims to be classified as SCs to secure reservations meant for Dalits.
Additionally, Nadda accused Congress of revoking reservations for deprived Hindu communities in institutions like Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia by overturning court judgments through legislation.
The BJP also shared a clip of Manmohan Singh’s remarks from April 2009, reiterating his stance on prioritizing minorities, particularly poor Muslims, in resource allocation, countering Congress’s clarifications on his previous statements.
