QUOTA WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER PAK: NAIDU

It is a national policy of the BJP to oppose religion-based reservations. Communal reservations divide people on communal basis. It will lead to the demand for another partition of the country. — VENKAIAH NAIDU, Union minister

Union urban development and I&B minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday warned that reservations based on religion will lead to the creation of yet another Pakistan.

“This country was divided because of religion. The Muslim League opposed Muslims and Hindus living together. This led to the division of the country. If we indulge in vote bank politics again, it would not be good for the country,” he said.

Mr Naidu said that the BJP is not opposing Muslim reservations because Mr K. Chandrashekhar Rao is doing it.

“We had opposed it even when Y.S Rajasekhar Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu tried to do it. We will oppose it, if anyone else tries it. Why? Because the reservation based on religion will lead to another Pakistan,” Mr Naidu said, while speaking at the 126th birth anniversary celebrations of Dr B R Ambedkar on Friday.

The minister said that the BJP opposed religion-based reservation across India and claimed that this policy is not confined only to Telangana.

“It is a national policy of the BJP to oppose religion-based reservations. Communal reservations divide people on communal basis. It will lead to the demand for another partition of the country. It will bring disunity among people. Social disruption will be caused by communal reservations. That’s why, the BJP opposes it.”

The BJP, the minister said, was committed to reservations for backward classes regardless of whether they are Muslims, Christians or Hindus.

“Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar opposed reservations based on religion. Mahatma Gandhi said conversion is dangerous to the country,” he said.