Lalu Prasad, the former Chief Minister of Bihar and leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), sparked controversy by advocating for a “complete” reservation for Muslims. This stance drew criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his former ally, the JD(U).
Addressing the media in Patna, Lalu Yadav accused the ruling BJP of aiming to abolish reservations by dismantling the Constitution. “Muslims should receive full reservation… They (BJP) aim to dismantle the Constitution and democratic fabric of our nation,” asserted the RJD leader.
Amidst the political uproar sparked by his comments, Lalu Yadav released a video message to clarify that reservation should be based on social backwardness rather than religion.
The statement from the former Chief Minister of Bihar has injected a new perspective into the reservation discourse, intensifying the ongoing debate between the BJP and the Congress during the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP seized upon Lalu Yadav’s comments to accuse the Opposition of being solely focused on “appeasement” without a broader vision.
PM Modi trains guns on opposition over Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Muslim quota in reservation remarks
Hours after the Bihar leader’s statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigning in Madhya Pradesh, seized upon it to criticize the opposition. “They (Opposition) can’t see beyond appeasement. If given the chance, they would even infringe upon your basic rights,” PM Modi asserted.
Referring to Lalu Prasad as a leader accused in the fodder scam and currently out on bail, the Prime Minister highlighted his advocacy for reservations for Muslims. “He (Lalu Prasad) suggests granting reservations to Muslims, implying they should receive the same benefits as SCs/STs and OBCs,” PM Modi remarked.
BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi interpreted Lalu Yadav’s remarks as indicating that the INDIA bloc if elected, would amend the fundamental structure of the Constitution to provide reservations to Muslims. “The term ‘pura ka pura’ (complete) used by him in his statement is significant. It suggests their intention to allocate reservations to Muslims at the expense of SCs, STs, and OBCs,” Trivedi stated during a press conference.
He further commented, “This also underscores that, for the RJD, Muslims take precedence over Yadavs.”