NEW DELHI: Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approving reservation for OBCs and EWS candidates in the all India quota for medical courses, the BJP on Saturday said the government has taken a historical step aimed at establishing an egalitarian society, while the Congress did "nothing" for social justice and uplift of weaker sections during its rule.
The government on Thursday had announced 27 per cent reservation for OBCs and 10 percent reservation for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the All-India Quota (AIQ) scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses from the current academic year, 2021-22.
Addressing a press conference, BJP leader and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav said the party congratulates Prime Minister Modi for taking this historic step.
"This is a historic decision aiming for setting up an egalitarian society based on social and economic justice," Yadav said, while questioning the opposition especially the Congress over their contribution to the progress of the socially and economically weaker sections.
Yadav alleged that despite ruling the country for such a long time, "the Congress did nothing for the uplift of the backward and economically weaker sections of the society". He said the Modi government works on the principle of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' to ensure inclusive development of the country by taking everyone along.
Taking on the opposition for doubting the government's intent behind this decision, Yadav said, "Those who used to talk about the uplift of backward communities were only concerned about their respective families and their own well-being."
Whereas, he said, the Modi government "is working for everyone in the society and that's why it also gave reservation to economically weaker sections in the general category".
Underlining that the OBC Commission was given constitutional status by the Modi government, Yadav said the previous Congress-led UPA government did nothing on this front despite several reports given by various commissions.