Salient Points of Press Conference of Bharatiya Janata Party Senior Lok Sabha MP and Former Union Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad
BJP strongly condemns DK Shivakumar's statement on changing the Constitution for Muslim reservation. How far will Congress go in its vote bank politics?
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The Congress government's 4% reservation for Muslims in government contract allocation is entirely unlawful and unconstitutional
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Rahul Gandhi no longer even makes his occasional temple visits. Facing repeated election defeats, he has now turned to Muslim appeasement politics
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Have Congress, the Samajwadi Party, and leftist parties surrendered their political decisions to radical Muslim clerics?
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History shows that Congress sacrificed women's rights for the sake of Muslim appeasement. Just for mere votes, even leaders like Sonia and Mamata opposed the abolition of triple talaq
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Rahul Gandhi must address Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar's statement. Will he assure the nation that Congress will not change the Constitution?
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Congress, through its Dalit-Muslim agenda, seeks to deprive Scheduled Castes of their rights and weaken their reservation benefits
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The nation takes inspiration from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, not Aurangzeb. Whenever a choice must be made between Shivaji and Aurangzeb, the country will always stand with Shivaji
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Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party must take a clear stand on the Aurangzeb vs. Shivaji legacy. Their "convenient silence" is no longer an option
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Bharatiya Janata Party Senior MP and former Union Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad addressed a press conference at the party’s headquarters in New Delhi, on Monday. During the conference, Shri Prasad strongly condemned the Congress party's appeasement politics. He criticized Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar's remarks on amending the Constitution and questioned whether Congress plans to change the reservation policy.
Shri Prasad stated that the truth has a very uncanny habit of appearing and reappearing. For the past two to three years, the Congress party has been falsely accusing the BJP of planning to change the Constitution. This was their primary narrative during the last Lok Sabha elections, built entirely on lies and misleading propaganda. The Congress had launched a campaign claiming that if the BJP secured an absolute majority or 400 seats, it would change the Constitution. However, the BJP has repeatedly clarified that it has no such intention and did not make any changes to the Constitution. The only amendment made by the BJP was to provide 10% reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS), a move that was widely supported across the board.
Former Union Minister Shri Prasad stated that a crucial question arises today that where is the country headed amid the growing influence of vote bank politics? Before delving into the current issue, it is important to provide historical context to expose the true face of Congress. He cited the Shah Bano case, which involved a 70-year-old woman who was denied maintenance by her husband. Seeking justice, she appealed under Section 125 of the CrPC. The Magistrate Court ruled in her favor, granting her maintenance, and this decision was later upheld by the High Court. Her husband, a barrister, challenged the decision all the way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court unequivocally ruled that the purpose of Section 125 of the CrPC is to provide maintenance to a wife, and that the provision is religion neutral in nature. However, the verdict triggered such a massive controversy that the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, succumbed to pressure and overturned the ruling through legislation. This incident serves as a stark reminder of how Congress has repeatedly sacrificed women's rights at the altar of appeasement politics. In this context, when the law to abolish triple talaq was introduced in the country, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji entrusted me, as the Law Minister, with the responsibility of presenting it in Parliament.
Shri Prasad stated that the practice of triple talaq has been restricted in countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Jordan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Syria, as it is widely regarded as an unfair and oppressive practice against women. It is, in essence, a crime against women. The Supreme Court, in the landmark Shayara Bano case, declared triple talaq unconstitutional, ruling that it is not even in accordance with the teachings of Islam. During the proceedings, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had urged the Supreme Court not to intervene, claiming that they would instead ensure that future Nikahnamas would include a clause preventing the husband from exercising triple talaq. Despite widespread opposition to the practice of triple talaq across the country, when a law was introduced in Parliament to abolish it, leaders like Congress’ Sonia Gandhi and TMC’s Mamata Banerjee opposed it solely due to vote bank politics. This clearly demonstrates that even prominent women leaders of certain parties stand against progressive laws aimed at protecting women’s rights, prioritizing electoral gains over justice and equality.
Former Union Minister Shri Prasad highlighted another critical issue, stating that SC-ST communities have yet to receive reservation in Aligarh Muslim University, and the matter remains pending in court. This raises serious concerns about the direction in which the country is heading. Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's statement at the News Channel Summit has also gained attention. During a significant debate regarding Muslim reservation, D.K. Shivakumar stated, “There is a big debate going on regarding the Muslim reservation issue, many BJP leaders have claimed that Muslims are repairing bike punctures, it is our responsibility to uplift every section of the society, allow them to come forward and be part of development. We have initiated something and we know that everyone will approach the court. Many judgements have altered the Constitution over the time. Let us watch what comes out, we have started something, I know that everything will go to court, let's wait for some good day. A day will come when lots of changes are there, the Constitution will be changing.” However, after his statement sparked controversy, he later clarified that he did not mean altering the Constitution and that his words were misrepresented. Despite his clarification, the original statement remains on record, raising the question, how far will these leaders go?
Shri Prasad emphasized that religion-based reservation is not permitted under the Constitution of India, a principle upheld by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He reiterated that reservation can only be granted on the basis of social and educational backwardness, not religion. However, the government is directly allotting 4% reservation to Muslims, even in government contracts, which is blatantly illegal and unconstitutional. How far this race to appease the Muslim vote bank would go, stating that the BJP strongly condemns such moves. The violence in Nagpur has raised several critical questions. Who instigated it? Who were the masterminds behind it? What were their connections? Was there any foreign backing? While Congress has not made any statements regarding the incident.
Former Union Minister Shri Prasad questioned why Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders did not visit the Kumbh Mela, which saw a gathering of 65 crore people.? Whether they feel embarrassed about such Hindu religious events and why there should be any hesitation in acknowledging Priyanka Gandhi’s religious identity? Earlier, Rahul Gandhi used to occasionally visit temples, but even that has stopped now. As the Congress continues to lose elections and weaken in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, how long their politics of Muslim appeasement will continue. Some parties have given a virtual veto over their politics to radical Muslim leadership. Whether the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Left parties have allowed radical clerics to dictate their political decisions? It is a very serious issue for national unity and the BJP strongly opposes such appeasement. Shri Prasad emphasized that instead of pandering to radical elements, efforts should be made for the development of poor Muslims. The Modi government follows the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,' ensuring that roads, electricity, and welfare schemes reach Muslim villages just like any other community, regardless of their voting choices.
Shri Prasad stated that Rahul Gandhi should take a clear stand on the issue. Whether Rahul Gandhi would respond to the remarks made by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and assure the country that Congress will not change the Constitution. Whether Congress is secretly planning constitutional changes to enable religion-based reservation, which is not permitted under the current framework. Shri Prasad inquired if Shivakumar's statement was the first step toward this agenda. Additionally, he urged a discussion on the Karnataka government's budget provisions and raised concerns over the term 'Dalit Muslim,' asking what it truly signifies.
Former Union Minister Shri Prasad stated that such discussions on Muslim reservation repeatedly arise in Karnataka. Manmohan Singh government had set up the Ranganath Mishra Commission, which recommended reservation for Muslims, and that the Sachar Committee also presented a report on the socio-economic conditions of Muslims. On this basis, Manmohan Singh had controversially stated that "Muslims have the first right on national resources." Shri Prasad stated that Congress must clarify its stand on this issue. When India's Constitution was framed, leaders like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, and Maulana Azad recognized that atrocities against Dalits were a social evil within Hindu society. Therefore, according to the Constitution, reservation for Scheduled Castes was given only to Hindus. The "Constitutional Scheduled Caste Order" of 1950 clearly states that this reservation will apply only to Hindu society. Later, Buddhists and Sikhs were also included in it, as they were widely considered part of Hindu society. However, Muslims were not included in it.
Shri Prasad stated that if there is a Dalit-Muslim issue, it will take away the rights of the Scheduled Castes and harm their reservation. There is a famous case of the Supreme Court— Susai Vs State of Tamil Nadu. In this case, a Christian man claimed reservation benefits on the basis of being a Dalit, even though he was a Hindu earlier. The Madras High Court rejected this claim, and when the case reached the Supreme Court, the same decision was upheld. The Supreme Court stated that reservations for Scheduled Castes have been given to compensate for the social injustice and discrimination against Dalits historically. Unless it is proved that the same discrimination continues even after converting to Christianity, the benefit of this reservation cannot be given. This is the law of the country. Therefore, when a concept like "Dalit-Muslim" is brought up, the BJP strongly condemns it. The Bharatiya Janata Party will strongly oppose any kind of encroachment on the rights of Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
Former Union Minister Shri Prasad remarked that nowadays many types of discussions are going on about history. Sometimes some people start criticizing great kings and historical personalities. Is it right to insult our heritage in this way? The Bharatiya Janata Party wants to clearly state that this country considers Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as its inspiration, not Aurangzeb. Whenever there is a choice between Chhatrapati Shivaji and Aurangzeb, this country will always choose Shivaji. It is also a fact that during the rule of Congress, attempts were made to hide the achievements of Shivaji. Yesterday, RSS General Secretary Hon’ble Dattatreya Hosabale ji stated an important thing that some liberal academic groups of Delhi are always busy advocating Aurangzeb but do not even take the name of Dara Shikoh. Dara Shikoh had given importance to the Gita, Upanishads, and Indian philosophy, and his works were translated into Persian so that India's cultural identity could be understood. But no one discusses this. Today, BJP asks a direct question to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party—what is your stand on Aurangzeb vs. Chhatrapati Shivaji's legacy? BJP wants to make it clear that Congress's "convenient silence" will not work anymore. This question is not only about a historical dispute but about India's tradition, culture, and national unity. Congress should make it clear to the country where it stands on this issue. The country wants to know, and the Congress party will have to answer.
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