India

Muslims should get reservations, says Lalu

He alleged that the ruling BJP at the Centre wanted to do away with reservations by scrapping the Constitution.

Patna: RJD president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said he was in favour of extending reservation benefits to Muslims.

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He alleged that the ruling BJP at the Centre wanted to do away with reservations by scrapping the Constitution.

“The BJP is against the provision of reservations made in the Constitution. Hence, it wants to do away with both”, Prasad told reporters at the legislative council premises.

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The ailing septuagenarian, who nowadays prefers to stay indoors, was attending a swearing-in ceremony where his wife Rabri Devi took oath as an MLC.

Others who took oath included Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Prasad’s arch rival who heads the JD(U).

Altogether 11 people were elected unopposed to the Upper House of legislature in Bihar in the biennial polls held earlier this year.

On BJP’s charge that if voted to power, the Congress, RJD and other allies would “steal” reservations meant for OBCs and divert these to Muslims, Prasad said, “but should not Muslims get the benefit of reservations? (Aarakshan to milna hi chahiye Musalmanon ko)”.

He also said the BJP was indulging in scaremongering (bhadka rahe hain) by raising the bogey of “jungle raj” at election rallies.

He also mocked the “abki baar 400 paar” claim of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying “woh khud hi paar ho gaye hain (he is on his way out). The poll outcome will be in our favour”.

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This post was last modified on May 7, 2024 12:42 pm

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Press Trust of India (PTI) is India’s premier news agency, having a reach as vast as the Indian Railways. It employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.

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