Congress biggest enemy of OBCs: PM after Karnataka includes Muslims in quota

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday criticised the Congress-led Karnataka government’s decision to include the Muslim community in the state OBC list, claiming that the party plans to replicate this across the country.

Addressing an election rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, PM Modi said, “Once again, Congress has given reservation on the basis of religion in Karnataka through backdoor by putting all Muslim castes along with the OBCs. By doing so, it has snatched a big chunk of reservation from the OBC community. Congress indulged in this dangerous game which will destroy your (future) generations.”

“Our Constitution clearly prohibits reservation based on religion. Babasaheb Ambedkar himself was against this, but Congress had taken the dangerous resolution years ago and to complete this, they are continuously trying to fool people and play their own game,” he added.

Calling the Congress the “biggest enemy of the OBCs”, PM Modi said the BJP needed to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections to save the quota granted to the Other Backward Class, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came after the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) criticised the Karnataka government’s decision, saying it undermined the “principle of social justice”.

The Congress government in Karnataka included Muslims under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list in 2023. This decision was made by categorising all Muslim castes and communities in the state as OBCs under Category II-B for reservation in employment and educational institutions.

The Prime Minister claimed that the Congress had promised religion-based reservations in their manifesto for the 2009 and 2014 elections as well.

“Congress is preparing to cut the 15 per cent quota of SC, ST and OBC and to implement reservations based on religion,” PM Modi said.

Not only Karnataka, the Prime Minister also called out the Congress governments in other states for appeasement politics.

“A few days ago, Telangana Chief Minister said that he will provide reservation to the Muslims. Congress can go to any extent to make their vote bank happy. Congress has started preparations to strengthen its vote bank by snatching away the property of the people of the country. If someone has more than one car, motorcycle, one house, then Congress says that they will make such a law that the Congress government will take it away…They will bring such a law that you can keep only one house,” PM Modi said at another rally in Betul.

PM Modi also said when the Congress government was formed at the Centre, they first introduced religion-based reservation in Andhra Pradesh. “But then Congress was not completely successful in its plans. Congress still wants to play that game. To snatch away the share of reservation that OBCs get in Karnataka from the OBC quota, Congress made all the Muslims of the state OBC. This action of Congress is a warning signal for the OBC community of the entire country,” he said.

ON INHERITANCE TAX

PM Modi launched an attack on the Congress over the remarks of Sam Pitroda batting for inheritance tax, alleging that the party wanted to snatch the assets and rights of people and their children.

“Congress has now made another revelation. Their hidden agenda has come out. Congress says that it will impose an Inheritance Tax…Congress says it will also impose a tax on the Inheritance received from parents,” PM Modi said.

“Congress will take away almost half of your property that you have accumulated through your hard work and want to give it to your children…Congress has no idea about India’s family values,” he said.

Taking a jibe at the Congress, PM Modi said the party’s mantra is ‘Congress ki loot, zindage ke sath bhi loot aur zindagi ke baad bhi loot (Congress’s loot, during your life, and even after your death)”.

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