In Bagalkote, Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lambasted the Congress on Monday, alleging their plot to implement religiously oriented reservations in the nation, solely for the purpose of bolstering their vote bank. However, he vehemently declared his opposition to such a scheme. Modi contended that the Congress’s scheme aims to placate minorities, given that the SC/ST and OBC factions have aligned themselves with the BJP.
“In Karnataka, the Congress has initiated a crusade to alter the constitutional framework and encroach upon the entitlements of SC/ST and OBC groups. Our Constitution expressly prohibits religiously based reservations. Yet, the Karnataka administration has allocated a portion of OBC reservations to Muslims,” Modi articulated. Speaking at a grand election rally in the town’s district headquarters, he remarked, “they (Congress) will not be satisfied with this. They had previously articulated in their manifesto a plan to enact legislation for religiously oriented reservations. A similar inclination is evident in their current manifesto.”
“I seek to enlighten my Dalit, SC/ST, and OBC brethren about the Congress’s machinations. These individuals, under the guise of religion, are scheming to deprive you of your entitlements bestowed upon you by Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution,” he added. Accompanied by veteran BJP figure B S Yediyurappa, as well as BJP candidates and MPs from Bagalkote (Bagalkot) and Vijayapura (Bijapur) — P C Gaddigoudar and Ramesh Jigajinagi, respectively — Modi delivered his address at the rally.
Observing that the majority of SC, ST, and OBC MPs in the Parliament hail from the BJP, Modi remarked, “Thus, they perceive that since the SC, ST, and OBC segments are aligned with the BJP, to curry favor with minorities, they seek to appropriate from the SC, ST, and OBC communities and distribute it amongst minorities. Will you permit this?”
“Today, I pledge to my Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC brethren. I will not permit the Congress’s nefarious intentions to come to fruition. To safeguard your entitlements, your reservations, Modi will go to any lengths. I assure you of this,” he concluded.