"Congress Used Religion To Come To Power": Rajnath Singh In Karnataka

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today came down heavily on the Congress alleging that it used 'mazhab' (meaning religion in Urdu) to come to power.

Rajnath Singh also slammed the party for having introduced four per cent reservation, in its earlier term, on religious lines in Karnataka, saying it had been done only to appease Muslims.

"If there is any political party in the history of India which took the support of 'dharma', or rather, 'mazhab' to come to power, then it is Congress," Mr Singh said, addressing a public meeting at Kagwad in Belagavi district.

Karnataka votes on May 10, with the results slated to be declared on May 13.

The Congress does the "politics of Hindu, Muslim and Christians", he said. "Politics of this sort should never ever be done. Only to appease Muslims, the four per cent reservation was given on religious lines, he alleged.

"We will welcome if an economically-weaker Muslim or a Christian gets reservation benefits but the Constitution of India does not permit religion-based reservation," the Defence Minister said.

Just days before the Model Code of Conduct came into force, the BJP government in Karnataka scrapped four per cent reservation for Muslims under 2B category of the Other Backward Castes.

After making 2B redundant, the Karnataka government split the four per cent reservation, giving two per cent each to the two dominant communities of the state, Vokkaligas in 2C and Lingayats in 2D category.

Muslims were then placed in the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category.

Various Muslim bodies have approached the Supreme Court, which has directed the Karnataka government not to implement its decision until it hears the matter on May 9.

Mr Singh said there was "nothing hidden" about the character of the BJP as the entire world knows about it. "The BJP never believes in discrimination on the lines of caste, creed and religion. The BJP believes in 'Insaaf aur Insaaniyat' (justice and humanity)," he claimed.

He added that the BJP followed the principles of 12th Century AD social reformer of Karnataka Basaveshwara. "The BJP is playing its role in India by following the principles of Basaveshwara," the minister said.

Mr Singh appealed to the people of Karnataka to give BJP a two-thirds majority in the 224-member Assembly.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)