Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public gathering in Patliputra, Bihar, where he made a strong statement about the reservation system in India.
“Our constitution says that there will be no reservation based on religion in India,” said PM Modi, emphasizing the secular nature of the Indian Constitution. He further quoted Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, who had stated that there would be no reservation based on religion.
PM Modi criticized the RJD-Congress alliance, accusing them of wanting to give reservation to their vote bank based on religion. He alleged that this would end the quota of SC/ST/OBC, which is currently in place.
The Prime Minister’s comments come at a time when the debate around reservation policies has been reignited in the political sphere. His remarks are likely to stir further discussions on the matter.
The reservation system in India has been a contentious issue, with various political parties having differing views on its implementation. The current system provides quotas for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), based on social and educational backwardness rather than religion.
PM Modi’s statement underscores the BJP’s stance on maintaining the current reservation system, which is based on social and educational backwardness, and not religion. The remarks are likely to resonate with the party’s core voter base, which has traditionally supported the existing reservation system.
The RJD-Congress alliance has yet to respond to PM Modi’s comments. The political discourse around the reservation system is expected to intensify in the coming days, as parties gear up for the upcoming elections.