Addressing the state-level Backward Classes Samman Sammelan in Mahendragarh in Haryana, Union home minister says PM Modi ensured 27% reservation to community despite opposition from Congress
The Congress has always been anti-backward classes (BCs) and opposed to quota to BCs even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured 27% reservation to this community despite stiff opposition from the opposition, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday.
Union home minister and BJP leader Amit Shah addressing the Backward Class Samman Sammelan in Mahedragarh, Haryana, on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)
Addressing the state-level Backward Classes Samman Sammelan in Mahendragarh in Haryana, Shah said in 1980, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi kept the matter of reservation to OBCs in cold storage and later in 1990 Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi also stoutly opposed the move to bring BCs under the ambit of reservation.
“In 1990, Rajiv Gandhi delivered a two-and-a-half-hour long speech and opposed OBC reservation,” Shah said.
On the other hand, he said, the BJP had ensured 27% reservation to OBCs and increased the 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.
The Union home minister said that the Congress government in Karnataka snatched reservation from BCs and gave it to Muslims. He said the same will happen in Haryana if the Congress forms the government. “I want to assure you that we will not allow Muslim reservation in Haryana,” he said, urging the gathering to support the BJP in the assembly elections due in October.
He lashed out at former Congress chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who has launched the Haryana Mange Hisab yatra in the state, saying the BJP is fully prepared to apprise people of the steps its 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. And after the BJP came to power, our government ensured transparency and development of every region of the state,” 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,” Shah said.
Stating that the BJP in Haryana has made a son from the backward class chief minister, Shah said under the leadership of Saini, the state will move forward on the path of development.
Shah said in spite of becoming chief minister, Saini refuses to act like a CM. “He is a common man and his doors are open round the clock for all,” he said, urging the crowd to give an assurance that they will support the BJP in the assembly elections.