On April 27, the official Twitter handle of the Telangana Congress party triggered controversy by sharing an edited video, falsely claiming that BJP leader Amit Shah promised to end reservations for the SC, ST, and OBC communities.
In a tweet, the Telangana Congress urged BJP members from marginalized communities to reconsider their support, alleging that Shah’s remarks indicated an intention to revoke their reservation privileges.
Accompanying the tweet was a video of Amit Shah, edited to suggest that he advocated for the removal of caste-based reservations. However, the actual context of Shah’s statement revealed a different intent.
During an election rally in Telangana on April 25, Shah clarified that the BJP aimed to abolish the reservation provided exclusively for the Muslim community by the Congress and TRS governments. He emphasized reallocating these reserved quotas to benefit SCs, STs, and OBCs, highlighting the party’s commitment to equitable distribution of reservation benefits.
Contrary to the misleading claims made by the Telangana Congress, Shah did not propose ending reservations for SC, ST, and OBC groups. Instead, he focused on addressing what he deemed as unconstitutional allocation of reservations.
The Telangana Congress tweet sparked widespread criticism for spreading misinformation and manipulating Shah’s statements for political gain. Many condemned the party for exploiting sensitive issues such as reservation policies to manipulate public opinion during elections.
Also, Union Home Minister Amit Shah dismissed allegations by the Congress party that the BJP intends to abolish reservations for Dalits, tribals, and Other Backward Castes (OBCs). Speaking at an election rally in Harsoli (Alwar), Shah affirmed BJP’s support for reservation policies and emphasized that neither the party nor anyone else would abolish them.
He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong advocacy for reservation and accused Congress of neglecting OBC interests by suppressing key reports on reservation issues. Shah credited Narendra Modi for providing constitutional recognition to the OBC Commission and ensuring 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central recruitments. He urged voters to support BJP, highlighting Modi’s achievements during his tenure as Prime Minister.
Earlier today, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) announced its intention to summon the Karnataka chief secretary regarding the controversial “blanket reservation” provided to the entire Muslim community in the state, making them eligible for reservations in educational institutions and jobs.
NCBC chairperson Hansraj Ahir expressed dissatisfaction with the response of the Karnataka Government regarding the issue.
BIG NEWS 🚨 National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) said it will summon Karnataka chief secretary over "blanket reservation" given to entire Muslim community which makes them eligible for reservations in educational institutions & jobs.
NCBC chairperson Hansraj Ahir said… pic.twitter.com/ralPDT1k10
— News Algebra (@NewsAlgebraIND) April 26, 2024
The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) confirmed that all castes and communities of Muslims in Karnataka have been included in the list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) for reservation in employment and education under the state government. The NCBC cited data from the Karnataka government and highlighted the inclusion of 17 Muslim communities in Category-I and 19 Muslim communities in Category-IIA as OBCs.
However, the NCBC expressed concern over social discrimination faced by lower-caste Muslims and emphasized the need for a nuanced approach to ensure social justice without undermining the diversity within Muslim society.
