By Leslie Rajan 
In a fiery address at an election rally in Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lambasted the Congress party for what he described as a detrimental move towards reservation based on religion, particularly in Karnataka. He accused the Congress of diminishing the quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Karnataka by grouping Muslim castes within the same category, a strategy he claimed the party aims to replicate nationwide.
“Quota Based On Religion Will Destroy Generations,” Modi exclaimed, painting the Congress as the “biggest enemy of the OBCs” for its alleged manipulation of reservation systems. He highlighted an incident in 2004 when Congress, in his view, betrayed Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s principles by implementing reservation based on religion, a move he deemed unconstitutional.
Describing the recent events in Karnataka, Modi asserted, “Once again, Congress has given reservation on the basis of religion in Karnataka through the backdoor by putting all Muslim castes along with the OBCs.” He contended that this maneuver deprived the OBC community of a significant portion of their entitlements, portraying it as a perilous scheme that could adversely affect future generations.
Modi emphasized the sanctity of the Indian Constitution, citing Ambedkar’s opposition to religious-based reservation. He accused Congress of adopting various tactics to fulfill its resolution, particularly in Karnataka where he claimed the party unlawfully incorporated all Muslim castes into the OBC quota, thus diverting crucial rights from the OBCs to others based on religion.
Furthermore, Modi condemned Congress for its purported intentions to impose an inheritance tax on ancestral wealth, positioning the party as a threat to economic stability and social justice. He contrasted the developmental strides under BJP governance with the perceived stagnation during Congress rule, particularly in states like Madhya Pradesh, which he referred to as ‘Bimaru’ (ailing/backward) in the past.
In his impassioned address, Modi sought to rally support against what he portrayed as Congress’s divisive tactics, warning of the dire consequences of religious-based reservation and advocating for the preservation of constitutional principles and social justice.