NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday criticised Congress again and said that when the opposition party released its manifesto, his first thought was that it reflected the agendas of the Muslim League.
“Then they said if there is a project, then on that too, Muslims will have the first right to execute the plan for that. In this sense, they will not allocate projects based on merit, but on religion,” he added.
PM Modi accused the opposition INDIA bloc of engaging in ‘vote bank politics’ and undermining the constitutional rights of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).In an exclusive interview with ANI, he emphasised the need to protect these marginalised communities and framed the issue of reservation as crucial in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“I want to alert the SC, ST, OBC & other backward-class people because by keeping them in darkness they (opposition) are looting them. Election is such a time, that I should make the countrymen aware of the biggest crisis that is coming. Therefore, I have been explaining this to the people. The basic spirit of the Constitution of India is being violated and that too for the sake of vote bank politics. Those who call themselves well-wishers of the Dalits, Tribals, are in reality their staunch enemies. There is an imprint of the Muslim League in their manifesto. Do you want to destroy the coming generations also for the sake of vote-bank? I will fight for the rights of my Dalit, Tribal, OBC brothers and sisters. And that’s why I’m fighting the battle.”
The Prime Minister pointed out that the opposition’s conversion of educational institutions into minority institutions has led to the elimination of reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities. He cited the example of Jamia Millia University in Delhi, which was designated as a minority institution, resulting in the loss of reservations for both admissions and jobs. PM Modi expressed concern over the Congress party’s manifesto, which he believes reflects the approach of the Muslim League.
PM Modi also criticised Congress party’s proposal to reserve government tenders for minorities, arguing that critical projects should be awarded to companies based on their track record, resources, capabilities, and qualifications. He questioned the wisdom of allocating quotas solely on the basis of religion, as it could potentially jeopardise the safety and future of the people.
On his decision to remove Article 370, PM Narendra Modi said, “Article 370 was the agenda of only 4-5 families, it was neither the agenda of the people of Kashmir nor the agenda of the people of the country. For their benefit, they had built such a wall of 370 and used to say that if 370 is removed, there will be a fire. Today it has become true that after the removal of 370, there is a feeling of more unity. The feeling of belongingness is increasing among the people of Kashmir and hence its direct result is also visible in elections, tourism.”
The Prime Minister further highlighted the opposition’s modus operandi of giving reservations to minorities by making laws in states like Andhra Pradesh, which were later rejected by the Supreme Court and High Court. He accused them of cleverly manipulating the system by classifying all Muslim castes as OBCs, thereby robbing the actual OBCs of their rights. PM Modi also condemned the opposition’s criticism of the judiciary in light of the recent Calcutta High Court decision to cancel OBC certificates.
With six phases of the Lok Sabha elections already completed and the final phase scheduled for June 1, the Prime Minister’s interview sheds light on the contentious issue of reservation and its significance in the upcoming elections. The results of the elections will be declared on June 4.
“Then they said if there is a project, then on that too, Muslims will have the first right to execute the plan for that. In this sense, they will not allocate projects based on merit, but on religion,” he added.
PM Modi accused the opposition INDIA bloc of engaging in ‘vote bank politics’ and undermining the constitutional rights of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).In an exclusive interview with ANI, he emphasised the need to protect these marginalised communities and framed the issue of reservation as crucial in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“I want to alert the SC, ST, OBC & other backward-class people because by keeping them in darkness they (opposition) are looting them. Election is such a time, that I should make the countrymen aware of the biggest crisis that is coming. Therefore, I have been explaining this to the people. The basic spirit of the Constitution of India is being violated and that too for the sake of vote bank politics. Those who call themselves well-wishers of the Dalits, Tribals, are in reality their staunch enemies. There is an imprint of the Muslim League in their manifesto. Do you want to destroy the coming generations also for the sake of vote-bank? I will fight for the rights of my Dalit, Tribal, OBC brothers and sisters. And that’s why I’m fighting the battle.”
The Prime Minister pointed out that the opposition’s conversion of educational institutions into minority institutions has led to the elimination of reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities. He cited the example of Jamia Millia University in Delhi, which was designated as a minority institution, resulting in the loss of reservations for both admissions and jobs. PM Modi expressed concern over the Congress party’s manifesto, which he believes reflects the approach of the Muslim League.
PM Modi also criticised Congress party’s proposal to reserve government tenders for minorities, arguing that critical projects should be awarded to companies based on their track record, resources, capabilities, and qualifications. He questioned the wisdom of allocating quotas solely on the basis of religion, as it could potentially jeopardise the safety and future of the people.
On his decision to remove Article 370, PM Narendra Modi said, “Article 370 was the agenda of only 4-5 families, it was neither the agenda of the people of Kashmir nor the agenda of the people of the country. For their benefit, they had built such a wall of 370 and used to say that if 370 is removed, there will be a fire. Today it has become true that after the removal of 370, there is a feeling of more unity. The feeling of belongingness is increasing among the people of Kashmir and hence its direct result is also visible in elections, tourism.”
The Prime Minister further highlighted the opposition’s modus operandi of giving reservations to minorities by making laws in states like Andhra Pradesh, which were later rejected by the Supreme Court and High Court. He accused them of cleverly manipulating the system by classifying all Muslim castes as OBCs, thereby robbing the actual OBCs of their rights. PM Modi also condemned the opposition’s criticism of the judiciary in light of the recent Calcutta High Court decision to cancel OBC certificates.
With six phases of the Lok Sabha elections already completed and the final phase scheduled for June 1, the Prime Minister’s interview sheds light on the contentious issue of reservation and its significance in the upcoming elections. The results of the elections will be declared on June 4.