New Delhi, May 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at the Congress over the changes it made to the status of the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and the broader implications of its policies on minority and OBC reservations.
"The prestigious Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi is well-known across the country. For 60 years, this varsity operated like other universities, providing reservations for Dalits, backward classes, and tribals," he said at an election rally in Dwarka ahead of the May 25 Assembly elections in the capital.
"However, in 2011, to win the 2014 elections, the Congress government, led by Manmohan Singh and the INDI Alliance people suddenly declared JMI a minority institution. This led to 50 per cent reservation for Muslims in JMI," he said.
PM Modi said that before 2011, SC, ST, and OBC candidates received reservations during admissions. "Now, even in this, restrictions have been imposed based on religion. Interestingly, minority rights were previously limited to colleges, but Congress suddenly included universities as well," he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted a judicial ruling on Wednesday, contending that the Calcutta High Court "dealt a severe blow to this INDI Alliance".
"The court cancelled all OBC certificates issued after 2010 because the West Bengal government had issued OBC certificates to Muslims to secure their vote bank."
The PM further criticised what he termed the "Khan Market gang", accusing them of consistently acting against national interests.
"These are the people who claim that Muslims have the first right to the country's resources. They are continuously giving government lands to the Waqf board in exchange for votes. They want to reserve 15 per cent of the national budget for minorities. They want to award government tenders based on religion," he said.
In a scathing attack on the Congress leadership and Rahul Gandhi, he cited their "inadvertent admissions of past wrongs".
"Despite telling numerous lies, the truth sometimes slips out of Congress 'Shehzada's mouth. The Congress Shehzada has admitted a significant truth. He has acknowledged that the systems created during the times of his grandmother, father, and mother were opposed to Dalits and tribals. This Congress system has destroyed generations of SCs and STs. Today, the prince has somewhat accepted this fact," the PM added.