PM’s silence on reservation issue ominous: Advani

HYDERABAD: Senior BJP leader L K Advani said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s silence over illegal immigration from Bangladesh and the demand for reservation for Muslims in government jobs was “ominous” and his meeting with the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid has sent a “negative signal”.
“I am constrained to comment on the negative signal that has emanated from the meeting between Singh and a delegation of Muslim organisation led by Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid in New Delhi.

“I find the Prime Minister’s silence on the illegal immigration from Bangladesh and demand for reservation for Muslims in government jobs to be ominous,” Advani told reporters before resuming his ‘Bharat Suraksha Yatra’ in the Telangana region.

On the alleged harassment of Assam Muslims, he said “our party (BJP) stand is 100 per cent protection to Assam Muslims but zero per cent protection to Bangladeshi infiltrators”.

The Shahi Imam had met Singh with demands for an economic package for riot-hit Muslims on the lines of one given to victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and reservation for jobs for Muslims in Central and state governments.