JAIPUR : Stoutly defending the government’s reservation schemes, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at a rally in Rajasthan’s Alwar, launched a scathing attack on Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of nepotism.
“While Prime Minister Modi advocates ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ (protect and educate daughter), Congress seems to have only one agenda, ‘Son bachao and make him PM’. Sonia Gandhi’s singular focus is on propelling Rahul to the PM’s chair, neglecting the aspirations of the youth,” Shah said.
Shah likened Rahul to a project that has been launched multiple times but has failed. “Rahul has been launched 20 times and failed every time. The Congress now struggles even to launch him,” he said.
Addressing concerns about the BJP’s stance on reservation, Shah said, “The BJP staunchly supports reservation for Dalits, tribals and backward classes. The Congress is spreading misinformation that we intend to abolish reservation. The Prime Minister himself is a strong advocate for reservation.”
Shah’s assertion came in the backdrop of the Congress’ election manifesto promise of bringing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs. The Congress has also said a caste census will be undertaken if it is voted to power.
The BJP leader alleged that the Congress did injustice to the backward classes for years. “It kept the Kaka Kalelkar report suppressed, kept the Mandal Commission report suppressed. Modi came and worked to give constitutional recognition to the OBC Commission. “Modi has done the work of giving 27% reservation to the OBC community in all recruitments at the Centre,” Shah said.
Shah lamented Alwar constituency’s links to the incidents of cow slaughter in recent years. He also mentioned the controversial Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project scheme (ERCP) aimed at supplying water to Alwar. “The ERCP is going to be completed soon. This is a guarantee of the Modi government,” he said.
Shah asserted that the BJP government in Rajasthan has moved towards ensuring women’s safety and ending appeasement. He also highlighted the association of BJP’s Alwar candidate Bhupender Yadav with him both in the party organisation and the government.
Bhupender Yadav was nominated from the seat after the previous Alwar MP Mahant Balaknath won the assembly elections held recently. Yadav will be contesting against Congress candidate Lalit Yadav, who has secured victory in the seat 11 times. Lalit has labelled Bhupendra, originally from Ajmer, as an outsider.