Religion-based quotas not possible, says Ahir

Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir today said it was not possible to have religion-based reservations in the country.
Ahir, who attended a two-day state executive meeting of Telangana BJP at Bhadrachalam, said reservations could be given only as per the Constitutional principles and not on religious lines, a BJP release said here.
Ahir's comment came against the backdrop of TRS government in Telangana proposing quota for backward sections of Muslims.
The BJP release quoted Ahir as saying how could the "successors of Nizam who ruled for 400 years seek reservations".
The TRS government recently said it would bring a bill providing reservations to backward sections among Muslims in the Budget session of Assembly.

Ahir also said the Indian Army had taught a lesson to Pakistan by conducting surgical strikes. "As many as 95 per cent of students were appearing for exams in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the courageous decision by Narendra Modi government," he said.

It had become clear that Kashmiris were not paying heed to militants, the release quoted him as saying.
Saying that Prime Minister Modi had emerged as the most popular leader in the world, Ahir expressed confidence that BJP would come to power in the five states where elections are going to be held.
Asserting that demonetisation decision was taken after thorough discussions, he said the government took quick and concrete steps to distribute cash across the country.

TRS government in Telangana had done nothing special for the state, the minister said, adding that BJP would come to power in Telangana if the development and welfare measures undertaken by the NDA government were conveyed to the people effectively.