Amit Shah Defends Scrapping 4 Percent Reservation for Muslims in Karnataka
Udupi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday defended the BJP government’s decision in Karnataka to scrap the four percent quota for Muslims saying that the party never believed in ‘religion-based reservation’.
Addressing the assembly poll rally on April 29 in Katpady, BJP leader Amit Shah said, “Congress for its stand that the quota would be restored if it is voted to power in the state after the May 10 Assembly polls. There was a religion-based reservation of four percent for Muslims. Without falling for the vote bank politics, the BJP government abolished the reservation for Muslims”.
Amit Shah further said, “After abolishing Muslim reservations, the BJP government has increased the reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Vokkaligas and Lingayats”.
Responding to Congress president D K Shivakumar who has promised to restore reservations for Muslims if his party comes to power, Shah sought to know whose quota will the party scrap if it manages to form the government in Karnataka. Whose reservations will be decreased if a four percent reservation for Muslims is restored? Will it be Vokkaligas or Lingayats, Dalits, Scheduled Tribes or the Other Backward Castes?” Shah questioned.
Slamming Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his “poisonous snake” jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said, “World is appreciating and respecting PM Modi. But Congress party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi disrespect him. Mallikarjun Kharge called our PM a ‘poisonous snake’. They (Congress) don’t know, the more they abuse him, the more he will shine. Congress cannot win by abusing the PM.”
“On one hand, there is the Congress party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and on the other hand we have our BJP under the leadership of PM Modi. This election is to decide whether the Karnataka public wants a double-engine govt (BJP) to take the stage forward or a reverse-gear”.
“Congress is lacking on issues, in the last nine years Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased India’s pride in the world, he has worked to make India prosperous, he has made India’s infrastructure strong, he has made India’s borders safe. Wherever Modi goes across the world, people welcome him with ‘Modi-Modi’ slogans,” Shah said.
JDS is the B-team of Congress and voting for the regional party means voting for Congress. “After getting elected JD(S) MLAs will sit on the lap of Congress”, he mocked.
Ridiculing the guarantees being promised by Congress, Shah said, “Congress is the guarantee for lying, a guarantee for corruption and a guarantee for casteism. But BJP gives the guarantee that Congress will not come to power. Karnataka is only an ATM for Congress and nothing else. Only BJP can ensure the safety, security and prosperity of Karnataka”.
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, Kaup and Udupi Candidates Yashpal Suvarna and Gurme Suresh Shetty, BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat, Lalaji R Mendon, Leaders Nayana Ganesh, Pramod Madhwaraj, Shreesha Nayak, Suresh Nayak, Githanjali Suvarna and others were present.
