New Delhi: A senior BJP leader from Gujarat has described the reservation policy as a “headache”, a statement that is likely to create challenges for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah is under fire from the Opposition for his alleged “anti-Ambedkar” remark.
The reservation comment, purportedly made by BJP Gujarat’s secretary Naukaben Prajapati Sunday, has gone viral on social media; though ThePrint has not independently verified the authenticity of the video. Her comments provided enough ammunition to both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which slammed the BJP for being “anti-reservation”.
ThePrint reached the state unit of the BJP via calls and texts, bu they refused to comment on the matter. ThePrint also reached Prajapati via calls and WhatsApp messages. This report will be updated if and when responses are received.
The state unit has also not made any public statement on the issue so far.
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Prajapati allegedly made the comment while delivering a speech at the flag-hoisting ceremony on Republic Day organised by Bhabhar Municipality in Banaskantha district.
“We haven’t been able to abolish reservation due to politics, policy of appeasement and vote banks, we have not been able to abolish reservation. And we know that today, reservation is a headache,” she said. “A small nation like Israel is giving a tough fight against Muslim countries. It is because patriotism is filled in the citizens of that country.”
Speaking to ThePrint, Manish Doshi, a senior Congress leader and chief spokesperson of the party, said: “This is the ideology of the RSS and the BJP and it has once again come to the fore that they are against reservation. What is there in their heart and mind has now come to the fore. The fact that senior BJP big leaders such as state president and even the chief minister have kept mum over the incident shows their mentality.”
The Congress has demanded immediate action against Prajapati.
“This is an insult to Baba Ambedkar and if the BJP fails to take any action, it will become clear that the party itself is against reservation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Gujarat AAP president Isudan Gadhvi reportedly said, “Yesterday (Sunday, a woman leader of BJP made it clear that BJP is against reservation.”
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