New Delhi:

Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at the Congress Tuesday, accusing the party of having “snatched reservation from backward classes in Karnataka and giving it to Muslims”.

Mr Shah’s  comment was made in Haryana, which will hold an Assembly election later this year.

“If the Congress forms the government, they will do the same in Haryana too…” he said at a Backward Classes Samman Sammelan.He said the Congress had always been against the backward classes, raking up a row – the issue of reservations to Muslims – that was big news ahead of the 2024 election.

In an all-out and fierce attack on his rival, Mr Shah referred to the 1957 Kaka Kalelkar Commission report and pointed out the Congress had delayed implementing its recommendations. “In 1980, Indira Gandhi shelved the Mandal Commission. When it was introduced in 1990, Rajiv Gandhi opposed OBC reservation…”

Mr Shah declared that it was only in 2014, after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister for the first time that there was a “government of Dalits, poor, and backward people”.

He made reference to the fact 27 of 71 cabinet ministers are from backward classes. “I want to assure you we will not allow Muslim reservation in Haryana,” he declared.

That the comment came in Haryana is seen as significant, since Nayab Singh Saini, who replaced ML Khattar as Chief Minister ahead of the general election, is from the OBCs.

And last month Mr Saini said reservation for backward classes in Group-A and Group-B government jobs, currently at 15 per cent, would be increased to 27 per cent.

This, he said, would be “in line with the central government’s policy”.

The Congress has hit back strongly, directing Mr Shah to Andhra Pradesh, where the Telugu Desam Party of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is in power. The TDP is an ally of the BJP; its 16 Lok Sabha MPs are essential for Mr Modi to remain in power after the BJP’s less than stellar poll result, in which it finished 32 seats of outright majority.

The reference was to the TDP government’s reservation policy for Muslims, who form a crucial vote bank in the state. Mr Naidu has offered no indication he will scrap this.

In fact, his son Nara Lokesh told NDTV last month, “It (reservation for Muslims) has been going around for the last two decades. We stand by it. We intend to continue it.”

“It’s a fact minorities continue to suffer and that they have the lowest per capita income. As a government, it is our responsibility to bring them out of poverty. So whatever decisions I take are not for appeasement, but to bring them out of poverty.”

During the election campaign the Muslim reservation issue was a major bone of contention, particularly after Mr Modi’s comment in Rajasthan’s Banswara.

Referring to plans in the Congress’ manifesto for an “economic and institutional report” as part of a national caste survey, and to a remark by his predecessor, Dr Manmohan Singh, the PM said, “Congress says they will calculate gold with mothers and sisters… and distribute that property…. that Muslims have first right on all resources…”

The remarks provoked an angry response from the Congress, which accused Mr Modi of lying to divert voters’ attention from genuine issues. The party pointed out its manifesto made no such claim, and Mr Gandhi explained the survey and its components were an “important step” in understanding how sections of the society developed and what is needed to ensure equality.

The party also complained to the Election Commission. A notice was sent to BJP chief JP Nadda – and his Congress counterpart Mallikarjun Kharge, after a complaint was filed against Mr Gandhi.

Amit Shah is on his second visit to poll-bound Haryana.

The state was won by the BJP and its then ally, former ex-Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala’s JJP in the last election. It was swept by the BJP in the two previous Lok Sabha election; the party won all 10 seats. But in the 2024 poll the Congress made a strong comeback, winning five seats.

New Delhi:

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today gave a cryptic message amid a potential crisis in the BJP government after three independent MLAs announced they have withdrawn support to the BJP government.

The three MLAs – Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Gollen and Dharampal Gonder – claimed the Haryana government is in a minority now and the state elections should be held soon. They said they will support the Congress in the election.

Mr Saini, however, dismissed the situation as nothing alarming.

“When I heard about it, I knew that moment the Congress is trying to fulfil their wishes. Everyone has a wish,” Mr Saini said.

“But the people know. They know the Congress has got nothing to do with the wishes of people, but only with fulfilling their personal wishes,” he said.

The Chief Minister did not explain how the BJP plans to counter this new threat.

Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the BJP has no right to continue in power in Haryana as the government is in minority now.

“Keeping in mind the sentiments of the public, the MLAs supported the Congress, thanks to all the three independents,” Mr Hooda told reporters.

“Along with the public, those who voted and supported BJP are unhappy with this government. The BJP should immediately dissolve the government and face the assembly elections,” the Congress leader said.

The three independent MLAs made the announcement at a press conference ion Rohtak in Mr Hooda and state Congress chief Udai Bhan’s presence.

“We have taken this decision on various issues including those related to farmers,” Mr Gonder said.

The state Congress chief said the present strength of the 90-member assembly is 88, of which the BJP has 40 members. “The BJP government earlier had the support of JJP MLAs and independents, but the JJP had also withdrawn support and now independents are leaving,” Mr Bhan said.

“Nayab Singh Saini government is now a minority government. He should resign as he does not have the right to stay even for a minute,” Mr Bhan said.