BJP leader Nadda's divisive rhetoric on quotas undermines India's social harmony

But the Congress has been trying to snatch the quotas of tribals, Dalits and backwards and give them to Muslims, Nadda claimed.He asked the people to teach the Congress a lesson in the Lok Sabha polls for such an agenda, and asserted that PM Modi would never allow the reservations of Dalits, tribals and OBCs to be taken away by anyone.Ten years ago, the politics of vote bank, religion and caste was prevailing in the country but Modi ji changed the definition and culture of politics.

BJP president J P Nadda on Sunday claimed the Congress' agenda is to snatch the reservations of Dalits, tribals and Other Backward Classes and give them to Muslims as part of its appeasement politics.

Addressing a rally in Surajpur in Chhattisgarh, Nadda said the politics of vote bank, religion and caste was prevalent before 2014 but its definition was changed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose focus was on development for all.

''The Congress wants to snatch the reservations of Dalits, tribals and backwards and give these quotas to Muslims to appease them. The Congress has mentioned in its manifesto that it will ensure special treatment for minorities,'' Nadda said.

What is a minority for them (Congress)? (Former prime minister) Manmohan Singh had said Muslims have the first right on the country's resources, he said.

''Dr B R Ambedkar had said and it is written in the Constitution that the quota will not be based on religion and it is meant to ensure social justice and protect the social system. But the Congress has been trying to snatch the quotas of tribals, Dalits and backwards and give them to Muslims,'' Nadda claimed.

He asked the people to teach the Congress a lesson in the Lok Sabha polls for such an agenda, and asserted that PM Modi would never allow the reservations of Dalits, tribals and OBCs to be taken away by anyone.

''Ten years ago, the politics of vote bank, religion and caste was prevailing in the country but Modi ji changed the definition and culture of politics. This poll is not just to elect an MP but to fulfil the resolution of 'Viksit Bharat' under the leadership of PM Modi,'' the BJP leader said.

''...Today if anyone has to do politics then it is the politics of development. Modi ji worked with the mantra of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayas','' he said.

Nadda also accused the Congress of doing politics over Lord Ram and being ''anti-Sanatan'' and ''anti-national''.

''During the UPA rule, when Sonia Gandhi was the UPA chairperson, it had given an affidavit in court that Lord Ram is fictional and does not have any historical and scientific basis. Kapil Sibal (lawyer and the then Congress leader) had told the court to postpone the Ram Janmabhoomi case, otherwise the BJP will get benefit of the decision in the matter,'' he said. They did the work of disrupting (Ram temple construction), Nadda said.

''Ram is a matter of 'astha' (faith), life and culture for us, not a matter of election. They (Congress) even did politics over Lord Ram,'' he added.

''They are anti-Sanatan. Congress' partner and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of (Tamil Nadu chief minister) Stalin, calls 'Sanatan' dengue and malaria. Another DMK leader A Raja linked Sanatan to HIV but (Congress leaders) Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka didn't speak anything and remained mum,'' he said. Should these people get support? Nadda asked the gathering.

''They are also anti-national. Their MP DK Suresh, who is contesting elections from Bengaluru, said south India should be made a separate country. Kharge ji didn't speak anything on that. Recently in Karnataka, when a (Congress) leader was elected to the Rajya Sabha, pro-Pakistan slogans were raised in the (Karnataka) assembly. Isn't it anti-national? Should such people be elected?'' he further asked.

Targeting the opposition INDIA alliance, Nadda said leaders of its constituents, including the Congress, are either in jail or out on bail.

''If you want to understand the importance of light in politics then you have to first understand the tragedy of darkness. On one hand we have been doing development, while on the other, the Congress and a tola (group) of corrupt have come forward. While Modi ji says remove corruption, INDI alliance says protect the corrupt,'' he claimed. They (opposition alliance) encourage ''parivarvaad'', while PM Modi says people from ordinary families should become chief minister, Nadda said.

To emphasise his claim on ''parivarvaad'', Nadda referred to the families of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party head Akhilesh Yadav, Sukhbir Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal, DMK leader MK Stalin, as well as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

''Isn't (TMC head and West Bengal CM) Mamata Banerjee's minister in jail? Isn't DMK's minister in jail? Isn't (Delhi CM and AAP convener) Arvind Kejriwal in jail? Aren't Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, (AAP leader) Sanjay Singh and (RJD leader) Lalu Prasad Yadav on bail? They all are between jail and bail (in connection with various cases),'' he said.

Highlighting the Modi government's achievements, Nadda said the country has come forward a long way in the last 10 years. Those who used to say nothing will change, today can see India has become the world's fifth largest economy. ''Elect Modi ji for the third term, India will become the third largest economy,'' the BJP chief said.

PM Modi's policies and programmes have resulted in bringing villages, the poor, deprived, exploited persons, Dalits, youth, farmers, women and tribals to the mainstream, he said.

Nadda was campaigning for Chintamani Maharaj, the BJP's candidate from Surguja Lok Sabha seat, where voting will be held on May 7.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)