Bharatiya Janata Party today lambasted the Congress for joining hands with the National Conference to scrap the reservation for SCs, STs, Gujjar Bakerwals, Paharis and OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir to disempower these marginalized communities. “The Congress has joined hands with the National Conference to further its agenda, which is reflected in the NC’s pro-Pakistan, pro-separatist, anti-J&K people and anti national manifesto, to repeal the reservation guaranteed to the SC, ST, Gujjars, Paharis and OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 as per Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar's Constitution”, Senior BJP leader Mr Devender Singh Rana said while addressing a crowded press conference at the party headquarters here this morning.
He said the BJP will not allow to succeed this dubious design of the National Conference and its ally the Congress to disempower these segments in employment, education and space in politics, asserting vehemently: “The BJP will protect the reservation to SCs, STs, Gujjars, Paharis and OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir”.
Mr Rana took the Congress head on for aligning with the National Conference in the anti reservation plank, so much so that its national President Malikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi specially flew from New Delhi to Srinagar to ink alliance with the forces inimical to the Constitution.
“Soon after unveiling of the divisive and anti people manifesto of the National Conference, the Congress leadership led by Gandhi scion took a sense of pride in endorsing the anti-reservation document by forging alliance with the party that has all along discriminated against the marginalized segments of society”, Mr Devender Rana said while assailing the National Conference for attempting to trample the time tested mechanism provided in the Babasaheb’s Constitution, guaranteeing equitable and fair share to the marginalized communities in jobs, education and political spectrum.
He reiterated that the BJP will foil all the machinations of the Congress and the National Conference to play with the rights of the reserved categories and will not hesitate in offering any sacrifice in upholding the constitutional guarantees to the members of SC, ST and OBC sections of the society. He described the move to scrap reservation as a step towards rolling back the progress registered over the years in the upliftment of these segments and undermining the social fabric across the country.
Mr Rana said that achieving of “Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan”, as per the true spirit of Babasaheb’s Constitution has remained an eyesore for the NC and the Congress, which is why they are targeting the marginalized communities. Mr Rana strongly criticized the NC and the Congress for polarizing the society and creating divisions for securing political mileage.
He said whenever the two parties have come together, the marginalized people have remained at the receiving end. During their coalition governments in J&K from time to time, the Jammu region has always been discriminated against; he said and vowed that the BJP has been all along fighting discrimination with any segment of the society or any region.
Mr Devender Rana also referred to change in the nomenclature of the world-famous Shankaracharya Hills in Srinagar as Takht-e-Suleman and Hari Parbhat as Kohe-Maran in the National Conference manifesto, and described this as direct assault on the faith and identity of a community.
“NC is playing with our identity, as Shankaracharya and Hari Parbhat are matters of faith for Sanatanis”, Mr Devender Rana said, questioning whether this move was to placate radicalized elements. The Congress should clear its stand on renaming of the most revered religious landmarks as Takht-e-Suleman and Koh-e- Marran, he added.