BJP opposed to reservations based on religion

A top official of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced that his party would oppose reservations based on religion as it was "against the Constitution."

"Any attempt to introduce reservation in education or employment based on religion is not acceptable to our party. We will oppose such a retrograde step if introduced by the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) or any other government," former BJP national president, L.K. Advani said in an address, during a party rally in Bangalore.

Accusing Congress president Sonia Gandhi of trying to appease Muslims by providing quota on a religious basis, Advani said the courts have already shot down such a provision by the Andhra Pradesh government and the Aligarh Muslim University.

He recalled how even Jawaharlal Nehru and B.R. Ambedkar had rejected the reservation issue based on religion in the Constituent Assembly.

According to Advani, the UPA government would attempt to introduce a bill in the Parliament for providing reservation to Muslims by making use of the Sachar committee report, submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently.

"If any party is responsible for the socio–economic backwardness of the Muslim community in India, it is the Congress, as it was in power at the centre and in the states for 40–45 years since Independence," Advani told a gathering of about 5,000 people at a national security pledge–taking event.

Urging Muslim leaders to provide modern, scientific and progressive education to their community, Advani said they would have to complement the work of the Madrassas (Muslim schools).