India
‘Nehru, Indira, Rajiv opposed reservation’: PM Modi takes sharp dig at Congress – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the Congress, alleging that the opposition party’s “royal family” is planning to abolish reservation for Dalits.
In his maiden speech in Haryana ahead of the state Assembly elections scheduled for October 5, the Prime Minister said that as long as he is in power, he will not allow even a fraction of the quota given by BR Ambedkar to be stolen or taken away.
During his address, Prime Minister Modi reminded the audience of certain incidents that took place when Congress was in power in Haryana and asked, “Who knows the anti-Dalit face of Congress better than Haryana?”
He accused the Gandhi family of being the “biggest anti-Dalit, anti-OBC and anti-tribal” force in the country. According to him, they have now declared their intention to end reservation for Dalits and the oppressed if they come to power.
Prime Minister Modi alleged that the Gandhi family has always “hated” Ambedkar and is strongly opposed to reservations, and also insulted Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and tribals.
The BJP has been attacking the Congress, alleging that Rahul Gandhi is against reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes and OBCs. His bias against the provision came to light during his recent meeting with students at Georgetown University in the United States.
Rahul had told the students that Congress would consider abolishing the reservations if “India is a fair place”, which he said is not the case at present.
Prime Minister Modi also claimed that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed the reservations and had written to state chief ministers about it.
“He had written to the chief ministers of the states about this. There is evidence for this. Nehruji had said that if people get jobs because of reservation, the quality of government service will go down. These were Nehruji’s words,” he said.
He also alleged that Nehru’s daughter, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had blocked reservation for OBCs and that the Mandal Commission report was implemented during the BJP-backed VP Singh government.
The Prime Minister further alleged that Rajiv Gandhi, as the leader of the opposition in Parliament, had opposed the reservation and in an interview had called those who got the reservation ‘buddhu’. Modi termed this as the biggest insult to the SC, ST and OBC communities.
“Now the Congress royal family is again pushing for the scrapping of reservation. But the Congress should listen to me carefully. As long as Modi is here, I will not allow a fraction of the reservation given by Baba Saheb Ambedkar to be looted or removed,” he said.
The 90-member Haryana Assembly is expected to go to polls on October 5 and the counting of votes will begin on October 8.
In his maiden speech in Haryana ahead of the state Assembly elections scheduled for October 5, the Prime Minister said that as long as he is in power, he will not allow even a fraction of the quota given by BR Ambedkar to be stolen or taken away.
During his address, Prime Minister Modi reminded the audience of certain incidents that took place when Congress was in power in Haryana and asked, “Who knows the anti-Dalit face of Congress better than Haryana?”
He accused the Gandhi family of being the “biggest anti-Dalit, anti-OBC and anti-tribal” force in the country. According to him, they have now declared their intention to end reservation for Dalits and the oppressed if they come to power.
Prime Minister Modi alleged that the Gandhi family has always “hated” Ambedkar and is strongly opposed to reservations, and also insulted Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and tribals.
The BJP has been attacking the Congress, alleging that Rahul Gandhi is against reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes and OBCs. His bias against the provision came to light during his recent meeting with students at Georgetown University in the United States.
Rahul had told the students that Congress would consider abolishing the reservations if “India is a fair place”, which he said is not the case at present.
Prime Minister Modi also claimed that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed the reservations and had written to state chief ministers about it.
“He had written to the chief ministers of the states about this. There is evidence for this. Nehruji had said that if people get jobs because of reservation, the quality of government service will go down. These were Nehruji’s words,” he said.
He also alleged that Nehru’s daughter, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had blocked reservation for OBCs and that the Mandal Commission report was implemented during the BJP-backed VP Singh government.
The Prime Minister further alleged that Rajiv Gandhi, as the leader of the opposition in Parliament, had opposed the reservation and in an interview had called those who got the reservation ‘buddhu’. Modi termed this as the biggest insult to the SC, ST and OBC communities.
“Now the Congress royal family is again pushing for the scrapping of reservation. But the Congress should listen to me carefully. As long as Modi is here, I will not allow a fraction of the reservation given by Baba Saheb Ambedkar to be looted or removed,” he said.
The 90-member Haryana Assembly is expected to go to polls on October 5 and the counting of votes will begin on October 8.
