Kalaburagi, (Karnataka): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday stated that the Congress will win many seats in the election held on April 26 for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.
Speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, CM Siddaramaiah stated on Saturday that now that the first phase of elections had ended, he had got reports that the Congress was going to win more seats.
“I had spoken to all candidates and district incharge ministers. Everyone told me that the people have blessed our party,” he stated.
CM Siddaramaiah maintained that he believed that the Congress’ guarantees have had a favourable impact on the people.
“We are discussing the failures of the central government in the last 10 years and the achievements of our government. The people are responding well and showing spirit,” he stated.
“The Constitution is clear about the reservation for backwards. The Constitution has stated that reservation should be given to socially and academically-Backward Classes. But, in violation of this, the central government had brought an amendment and gave 10 per cent of reservation to Economically Weaker Sections. This is against the Constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar. In spite of it, the provision was made,” CM Siddaramaiah said.
In 1992, the constitution Bench agreed to the recommendation of the Mandal Commission and specified the ceiling with regard to reservation. However, even as there is no ceiling in the Constitution for reservation, 50 per cent ceiling was made to the reservation, he charged.
CM Siddaramaiah further stated that the BJP opposed the reservation to women and Backwards when the report of the Mandal Commission was implemented and provoked students to oppose it.
He said that BJP veteran leader, LK Advani had planned to take out a Rath Yatra over the issue and added that from the beginning, the BJP has been against social justice.
“When Arjun Singh was the Human Resource Minister at the Centre, the reservation in higher education institutions like IIMs and IITs was cleared. When late Rajiv Gandhi was the PM, Amendment to Article 73, 74 was made. By bringing amendment to Article 73, reservation was given to women and Backwards in district, taluk and gram panchayats,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.
CM Siddaramaiah added that during the tenure of late PM, PV Narasimha Rao, 33 per cent reservation was provided to women under OBC 2(A) and (B), Backwards were given 27.4 per cent reservation under OBC (A) and 6.6 per cent reservation under OBC (B) and it was then that Muslims were provided 4 per cent of reservation under OBC (A) category.
“Questioning the implementation of reservation for women, Backwards and minorities, then BJP Rajya Sabha member and state Vice President Rama Jois approached the Supreme Court. But, his petition was rejected and the Supreme Court upheld reservation. The reservation to Muslims has been in force for 30 years. When Basavaraj Bommai was the CM heading the BJP government, to hike the reservation for the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, the reservation to Muslims was cancelled.
“Muslims were not given reservation on religious basis, it was given to them as per Article 15 and 16 of the Constitution,” he said.
“The BJP is claiming that reservation for Backwards is being given to the Muslims and it is wrong information being given for polarisation,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.
–IANS
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