Congress manifesto indicates backdoor attempts to implement religion-based quota: Rajnath Singh

Visakhapatnam, Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Wednesday alleged that the Congress manifesto indicates backdoor attempts to implement a religion-based quota if voted to power and when Prime Minister Narendra Modi exposed it, the grand old party started attacking the latter. Addressing a gathering at an “Intellectuals meet”, here, Singh said the BJP or NDA motto is “Justice to all. Appeasement of none”.

Hitting out at the ruling YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh, the BJP leader said the city, which was supposed to be a cultural, industrial and commercial hub, has now become notorious as “a drug capital” and “international drugs distribution centre”.

Attacking the Congress, he said, “In the present manifesto, the grand old party again hinted at reservations for religious minorities in government jobs, which if implemented, may also include the Armed Forces. This is an idea that affects the unity of the country. Would this not be a very frightening situation for this country?”

Singh further said the Sachar Committee which was formed during the tenure of the Congress government, gave its report in 2006 suggesting that the Indian Army should be counted on the basis of religion. For the first time in the history of independent India, it was seen that an attempt was made to divide the military forces on the basis of religion.

“My concern is whatever the Congress has said in its manifesto in the name of ‘minority welfare’ is influenced by the report of the Sachar Committee,” he said.

Singh said the previous Congress government made four futile attempts to implement ‘Muslim reservation’ in Andhra Pradesh (before division), but due to legal hurdles and Supreme Court issues, the move was not successful.

In 2011, the Congress tried to implement it throughout the country. From 2004 to 2014, there was another attempt to give reservations on the basis of religion, the former BJP president alleged.

He further said that one has to read Sections 3 and 6 in the Minorities chapter of the Congress manifesto together to understand the party’s intentions. Invoking Telugu pride, Singh said when PM Modi came to Andhra Pradesh, he visited several temples and paid homage to great people like Alluri Sitaram Raju and recalled his contributions to India’s freedom struggle. The BJP leader also said it was the NDA government which bestowed “Bharat Ratna” to former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao though he was leader of the Congress Party. Singh listed the developmental and infrastructure projects taken up by the Centre and alleged the state had plunged into Rs 13.5 lakh crore debt, leaving a burden of Rs 2 lakh each on every person in Andhra Pradesh. The BJP leader made an appeal to people to vote for NDA candidates in the state. Assembly elections will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls in Andhra Pradesh on May 13.