DEHRADUN: The war of words between the BJP and Congress over the issue of reservation in promotion intensified with Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat attacking Rahul Gandhi for his statement on Monday, saying that the Congress leader was in 'nasha' while speaking in Parliament.
The CM also added that Rahul Gandhi must remember that the order of banning reservation in promotion was brought in by the then Congress government in 2012 after an Uttarakhand high court order.
Hitting back, the former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat said, "The language of the CM is objectionable and reflects the culture of his party, the BJP. The government and the party both are trying to dilute the reservation rights of the marginalised community."
Rahul Gandhi had attacked the BJP and said it is in the DNA of the party to end the reservation system. This was followed by tweets by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi lashing out at the BJP for trying to snatch away the rights provided by Ambedkar.
She tweeted the chronology of events alleging that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh issues statements against reservation, then the Uttarakhand government appeals against reservation in the Supreme Court and afterwards the Uttar Pradesh government starts the process of diluting reservation trying to snatch away the rights provided by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Last week, the Supreme Court stated that the government "is not bound to make reservations" and that there is "no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions".