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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
The Hindu Bureau

Modi afraid of Rahul Gandhi’s promise of caste census: Uttam

‘BJP aims to win 400 seats in the Lok Sabha so that it can change the Constitution and scrap reservation’

Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was afraid of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s promise of conducting the caste census in the country and give every community its due share in resources and opportunities.

“Mr. Gandhi wants reservation for all communities in proportion to their population, as stipulated in Article 16 of the Constitution, instead of cheating Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs by promising to distribute only 4% quota, after snatching it from Muslims,” Mr. Reddy said, adding that BJP aims to win 400 seats in the Lok Sabha so that it can change the Constitution and scrap reservation.

Mr. Reddy made these remarks on Thursday while addressing a series of meetings in Mothe, Nadigudem, Munagala and Kodad in Surpyapet district in favour of Congress candidate from Nalgonda Lok Sabha constituency K. Raghuveera Reddy.

Referring to Mr. Modi’s speech during his recent visit to Sangareddy, Mr. Reddy said that the PM failed to specify clearly that the BJP would not change the Constitution if voted to power. Stating that BJP and RSS have often indicated that they are against the reservation system, he said there was always a danger that if BJP came to power again, it would scrap the reservation system.

He said that Mr. Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders are targeting the 4% Muslim reservation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In 2004-05, the 4% quota was given separately without touching the quota for other communities: SCs - 15%, ST - 6% and BCs - 25%.

The Minister also condemned BRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao for spreading lies about the Congress government, which is not even four months old. Despite inheriting a bankrupt State with huge debts and pending bills, five out of the six guarantees were fulfilled by the Congress Government within 100 days of coming to power, he said.

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