BJP will not allow reservation on basis of religion: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday said that his party was against giving reservation on the basis of religion and would not allow this to happen too. "He said the BJP is against reservation on the basis of religion and will not allow anyone to do this," he said while addressing an election rally at Warangal in poll-bound Telangana.

Shah said that Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has proposed 12 per cent reservation for the minorities "which is not possible without taking away the quota share of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Class people." "Rao has done this under the influence of Asaduddin Owaisi and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM)," he added.

"Only the BJP can save Telangana from Majlis and Owaisi, and not Congress, TRS and Telugu Desam Party (TDP)," said Shah. "Muslim reservation bill being brought by the TRS government is against the interest of Dalits, Tribes and backward communities. The Constitution has limited 50 per cent as the upper benchmark for the reservation. Thus, 12 per cent to Muslims cannot be given without curtailing the quota of Dalits, SCs, STs and OBC," said Shah.

He promised that if BJP government is voted to power in the state, Hyderabad "Vimochan Diwas" would be celebrated with fervor in every household. "Telangana government did not implement several schemes of the Centre because they believe it will make PM Modi more popular in the state," said Shah.

He also said that if the BJP comes to power, they would fill all 1.7 lakh vacancies in the government departments. TRS government has failed to give employment to the youth. "During the last four and a half years, more than 4,500 farmers have committed suicide due to debt while in the constituency of Chief Minister Rao, 131 farmers have committed suicide," he said.

Polling in Telangana is scheduled to be held on December 7 to elect the representative for 119 assembly constituencies. The counting of votes will take place on December 11. Telangana Assembly was dissolved prematurely in September this year on the recommendation of the ruling TRS government.