BJP on defensive after MP mantri remark

In a bizarre logic to defend his anti- reservation remarks made earlier by him at a meeting of a particular community in Narasinghpur district in Madhya Pradesh, a senior minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government on Monday said, “Do you expect me to preach Bible, Quran at the meet of Brahman society.”

The minister justified his apprehensions that reservation policy may push the country towards backwardness. State panchayat raj minister Gopal Bhargav on Monday said he was only raising issues pertaining to the community.

Going against the party line, Mr Bhargav had said merit has been the biggest victim of the reservation system. People with poor academic record have been absorbed in government jobs, while meritorious students have been ignored because of the reservation policy.

Mr Bhargav’s anti- reservation remarks, coming at a time when the recent verdict by the Supreme Court diluting the SC/ ST ( prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989, has triggered dalit outrage across the nation, has landed the ruling BJP in an embarrassing situation, forcing him to issue a clarification.

“I was addressing the Brahman community members where I needed to raise issues pertaining to them. I cannot preach Bible, Quran at the Brahmans’ meet,” he said, adding, “We raise issues relevant to particular societies when we attend their conventions.”

Mr Bhargav, however, asserted that he was a strong votary of reservation system.

I cannot preach Bible, Quran at the Brahmans’ meet — Gopal Bhargav, MP minister