Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Amid the ongoing debate between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress about reservation and minority quota in India, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav clarified his earlier statement ‘that Muslims should get reservation’. He said, ‘It is social-based and not religion-based’.
On Tuesday, former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “The basis for reservation is social. Narendra Modi wants to finish the reservation. Religion can not be a basis for reservation. I am senior to Narendra Modi. The third phase of the election is going well. It is in favour of Mahagathbandhan. We will be ahead on all five seats.”
Earlier, RJD president Lalu Prasad said he favoured extending reservation benefits to Muslims and alleged that the ruling BJP at the Centre wanted to abolish reservations by scrapping the Constitution.
“The BJP is against the provision of reservations made in the Constitution. Hence, it wants to do away with both”, Lalu Prasad Yadav told reporters at the legislative council premises.
Prime Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi also reacted to the statement by the RJD patriarch. He said, “Shocking statement by Lalu Ji on snatching the reservation from SC, ST and OBC communities in favour of petty vote bank politics. We will never let this happen.”
The BJP on Tuesday charged at the RJD and INDIA bloc and said that if voted to power, the opposition alliance will provide reservation to the minority community by making changes in the Constitution’s fundamental structure.
“Lalu Prasad Yadav said that full reservation should be provided to Muslims. This word, ‘pura ka pura’ (full), used by him in his statement, is very serious. This makes it clear that they (INDIA bloc) want to provide reservation to Muslims from the share of SCs, STs and OBCs,” BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said at the party headquarters in Delhi.
RJD’s former ally in Bihar, CM Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) also slammed Lalu Yadav over the Muslim reservation remark and said his stand violates the basic spirit of the Constitution as well as the Mandal Commission report.
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Published: 07 May 2024, 03:34 PM IST