Paswan’s remarks on Muslim reservation unconstitutional : BJP

The demand of a Senior Minister in the UPA Government Sh. Ram Vilas Paswan that there should be job reservation for Muslims, is not only unfortunate but straight away unconstitutional. This once again reinforces the competitive oneupmanship for minority appeasement, which is least concerned with their welfare but more designed for votes.

What is truly disturbing is that the courts whether in Andhra Pradesh or in case of Aligarh Muslim University had repeatedly held that religion based reservation has no constitutional sanctity. Yet to revive it for the sake of pure vote bank politics points to a dangerous doctrine, which has the mischief potential to divide the nation once again, something BJP would appose tooth and nail and which the people of the Country would never tolerate. Those who have been the so called champions of minority rights themselves owe an explanation as to why the minority communities have lagged behind in economic, education and social development.

The reason obviously is that these self-appointed patrons of minorities have practically no concern for their genuine welfare except to garner their votes on sectarian divisive and patently unconstitutional symbolism. From Shah Bano to Imrana to Afzal Guru the whole political road map is littered with these kind of false symbolism at the instance of pseudo secularist. How much the UPA government is concerned about minority welfare is conclusively established by the fact that even after one and half year there is practically no work for Mr. A.R. Antulay the well publicised “Cabinet Minister for Minority Welfare”. The BJP believes Muslims and other minorities are first and foremost Indians for whose welfare genuine steps need to be taken, which was taken during the NDA regime. What is truly comical is that in spite of repeated repudiation by the people the competitive quest for vote bank politics continues unabated. The BJP demands the Prime Minister must clarify his position on this crucial issue and speak up.

The BJP demands that the clemency petition of Afzal Guru be disposed at the earliest. It strongly condemns the language used against security forces in the mercy petition. We are proud of our security forces, who by great sacrifices saved our Parliament and Democracy.