New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS): There is no question of ending reservations enshrined in the Constitution and the BJP’s latest attempt to spread rumours over the issue reflects its desperation to use quota for political gains, senior Congress leader T. S. Singh Deo said on Friday.
Doe’s attack on the BJP for spreading falsehood over alleged attempts by the Congress to end reservation comes close to a storm surrounding Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole’s support for Rahul Gandhi’s statement on the possibility of reconsidering the continuation of reservations in future.
While the BJP has gone on the offensive over Patole’s statement accusing the Congress of preparing the ground to remove reservations, Deo said, “After failing to gain much from its Hindu-Muslim hate politics, the BJP leaders are desperate to prop up the reservation issue for electoral success.”
He also dared the BJP to deny the alleged anti-reservation remarks of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat.
“At a time when even a country like the US is taking affirmative action, there is no question about reservations being removed in India which still suffers from socio-economic disparities. The Constitution provides for reservations and there is no question of ending them,” he said.
Asked about the unveiling of a new Lady Justice statute at the Supreme Court, he said, “I don’t see the logic behind tinkering with age-old traditions. The blindfold on the old statue has been removed but I always believe that the blindfold was not meant to project her as blind but it was representative of her impartiality.”
He said the lady justice statue with the blindfold stood for impartiality. “It reflected that justice would not be dispensed with discrimination based on caste, religion or region, but by removing the blindfold you are inviting partiality in the dispensation of justice.”
The Congress leader also criticised the alleged remark of the Chief Justice of India on drawing inspiration from flags or dhwajas flown over temples. “In my personal opinion, if the CJI says that he is not drawing inspiration from knowledge, justice or Constitution then I think he is straying from the path of duty.”