NEW DELHI: Quoting BR Ambedkar, Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha JP Nadda on Tuesday accused the Congress of attempting to introduce religion-based reservations.
“Ambedkar clearly said that reservation should not be decided in the name of religion. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, you (Congress) attempted to provide (religious minority) reservation under backward classes, which was struck down by the high court,” Nadda alleged, speaking during a discussion on ‘75 Years of the Constitution of India’.
He accused the Congress of amending the Constitution for political gains and toppling state governments, which he claimed necessitated the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill. “We have to bring the Bill because you toppled elected governments, and elections had to be held,” Nadda said, noting that simultaneous elections were originally held from 1951-52 to 1967.
Launching a scathing attack on the Congress over the Emergency, Nadda rejected the main Opposition party’s claim that it has apologised. “If the Congress regrets the imposition of Emergency, they should join in observing ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’ on June 25 next year, which would coincide with the 50th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency,” Nadda said.
He further accused the Congress of “minority appeasement,” citing the Shah Bano case and triple talaq. “You called Rajiv Gandhi progressive... The Supreme Court gave a decision in the Shah Bano case. Under pressure from Muslim clergies, you brought an amendment in Parliament, keeping vote bank politics in mind,” he said, adding, “The Supreme Court always said triple talaq should go, you did not have the courage, and you were doing appeasement politics.”
Nadda also alleged that the Congress-led government issued a circular calling for the inclusion of 4.5% Muslim minorities in the 27% reservation for backward classes, which was quashed by the Supreme Court. “The country should know how you (Congress) are attempting to misconstrue what is there in the Constitution, for appeasement politics,” he remarked.
Nadda also blamed former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress for introducing Article 370.