In a fresh assault, the BJP targeted the INDIA coalition over the reservation matter, alleging that the opposition conglomerate is immersed in appeasement politics, asserting that the populace will retaliate resoundingly in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

This accusation from the BJP follows closely on the heels of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee’s declaration that she refuses to acknowledge a Calcutta High Court ruling invalidating the OBC status of several groups recognized in the state since 2010. Furthermore, Congress luminary Rahul Gandhi contended that the prevailing system heavily favors the upper castes, reiterating his party’s commitment to rectify this imbalance.

Seizing upon these pronouncements, senior BJP figure Shivraj Singh Chouhan remarked, “Appeasement serves as the lifeblood for parties such as the Congress and the TMC. Devoid of this, they cannot sustain themselves even for a single day.” Chouhan, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, alleged that upon assuming leadership in West Bengal, Banerjee pursued a strategy of securing votes along communal lines, indiscriminately distributing OBC certificates to various groups, including Muslims, Bangladeshis, and Rohingyas.

“The Calcutta High Court’s ruling on Wednesday dealt a severe blow to Banerjee’s communal politics,” he asserted during a press briefing at the party headquarters. The High Court’s verdict on Wednesday declared illegal the OBC status conferred on several groups in West Bengal since 2010. The court opined that the inclusion of 77 Muslim groups in the list was intended to “manipulate them as a voting bloc”.

In a strong rebuke, Banerjee affirmed her refusal to accept the ruling and vowed to challenge it in a higher court. Chouhan lambasted the West Bengal Chief Minister for her defiance of the High Court’s ruling, branding her comments as an affront to the Constitution.

“What does Mamata Banerjee believe? Is she above the Constitution? This demonstrates the pinnacle of arrogance and lawlessness,” he charged, asserting that the TMC leader lacks the authority to retain her position as Chief Minister, having granted reservations on religious grounds in contravention of the Constitution.

Responding to Gandhi’s remarks, Chouhan reiterated the BJP’s long-standing assertion that the Congress is antagonistic towards the underprivileged, including the poor, Dalits, tribal communities, and backward classes. “Rahul Gandhi acknowledged this reality yesterday.” Speaking at an event in Panchkula, Gandhi remarked that the prevailing system disproportionately favors the upper castes, drawing from his personal experiences, citing his familial ties to two former Prime Ministers and his frequent visits to the Prime Minister’s residence during Manmohan Singh’s tenure.

Gandhi contended that a significant portion of the country’s population, including Dalits, OBCs, tribal communities, and minorities, lacks representation in the national narrative and power structure, asserting his party’s commitment to ensuring their inclusion in the nation’s progress.

“The Congress has historically deprived Dalits, OBCs, and tribals of their rights. Congress-governed states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have perpetrated the injustice of depriving OBCs of their rightful share by allocating reservations to minorities,” Chouhan alleged.

He further accused the Congress of neglecting to grant Constitutional status to the OBC Commission for nearly four decades, while its government abolished reservations for Dalits, OBCs, and tribals in educational institutions such as Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh and Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi.

“Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar once declared at a rally in Punjab that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru failed to advocate for Dalits and backward classes. Such has been the Congress’s attitude from the outset,” Chouhan asserted. The BJP leader alleged that the Congress, along with other constituents of the INDIA coalition, have systematically deprived Dalits, backward classes, and tribals of their rights while pursuing a policy of appeasement.

“The BJP will not permit this subterfuge to persist. The truth is apparent to the people now, as the INDI alliance’s policy of appeasement stands exposed. The people will respond to it. The BJP will secure a mandate to form the government, winning 370 seats independently, and with the NDA securing over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections,” he concluded.