Lalu's Muslim reservation remarks: INDIA bloc wants to scrap SC, ST quotas for vote bank, says Modi

RJD president Lalu Prasad has said that Muslims should be given job reservation, reigniting the row over religion-based quotas. Answering a media query in Patna on Tuesday, Prasad said: "Muslims should get reservations," prompting a quick attack from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has since the first phase of polls alleged that the Opposition alliance would 'snatch reservation of OBCs, SCs and STs and give it to Muslims,' if it attained power.

Lalu Prasad, however, clarified his remark by saying that reservation should be based on social status and not religion. "The basis of reservation is not religion but social backwardness. The prime minister does not understand even this much. We have implemented the Mandal Commission. In the Mandal Commission, more than 3,500 Backward Castes are entitled to reservations, including hundreds of castes of other religions," Prasadsaid.

He alleged that it was the 'old desire and conspiracy' of RSS-BJP to 'abolish' the Constitution of Baba Saheb and the reservation bestowed by leader of the masses Karpoori Thakur. "In the year 2000, the BJP government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee even constituted a Constitution Review Commission," he said.


Modi seized on Prasad's initial comment to attack him, without naming him, and the Congress. Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar, Modi said that a big constituent of INDIA bloc had 'endorsed' his remark that 'there was a conspiracy' to end reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs.'

"Congress is making a leader, who has eaten animal fodder and was convicted in corruption cases and out on bail due to health reasons, to dance on their head. He is saying not only Muslims should get reservations but all reservations should be given to Muslims. It means they want all the reservation to Muslims by snatching it from SCs, STs and OBCs," Modi alleged by twisting Prasad's remarks.

"I have been saying the same thing about them for the last several days. I was saying that they would cut some part of the reservation and give it on the basis of religion but the conspiracy is deeper...They are saying on the day of voting that they want to give all the reservation of SC, ST and OBC to Muslim community," Modi claimed.