"Modi is the watchman for the rights of the deprived and this is not a political speech," he said (File)
Tearing into the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal after the Calcutta High Court cancelled all OBC certificates issued in the state after 2010, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that no one can snatch the reservations for Dalits and tribals until he is alive.
While addressing a public gathering in Haryana's Bhiwani, PM Modi said, "In West Bengal, they have issued OBC certificates to Muslims overnight and that too to infiltrators. The High Court has invalidated all the OBC certificates issued to Muslims in the last 10-12 years. See the mentality of the INDI Alliance, the Chief Minister of Bengal has said that she will not accept the decision of the High Court. Will give OBC reservations to Muslims."
"Congress, TMC, and other parties of the INDI Alliance are supporting their vote bank. But today, I'm here to assure you that no one can snatch reservations for Dalits, or tribals till Modi is alive. Modi is the watchman for the rights of the deprived and this is not a political speech, it is Modi's guarantee," he added.
Hitting out at the leaders of the INDIA bloc, PM Modi said, "For Congress and the leaders of the INDI Alliance, their vote bank is more important than the country. These people divided the country for their vote bank. They created one India and two Muslim nations."
The Calcutta HC on Wednesday cancelled all OBC certificates issued in West Bengal after 2010. The court has directed the West Bengal Backward Classes Commission to prepare a new list of OBCs in accordance with the 1993 Act.
Those who were on the OBC list before 2010 will remain. However, after 2010, OBC nominations have been cancelled. Approximately 5 lakh OBC certificates are set to be cancelled.
After 2010, those who have jobs under the OBC quota or are in the process of getting them cannot be excluded from the quota. There will be no impact on their job and they cannot be excluded from the quota.
After the Calcutta High Court cancelled OBC certificates issued in West Bengal after 2010, Mamata Banerjee said she would not accept the judgement and "OBC reservation continues and will always continue".
Addressing a poll rally at Khardah under the Dumdum Lok Sabha constituency, she said, "I heard a judge passing an order, who has been very famous. The Prime Minister is saying that minorities will take away the Tapasheeli reservation, can this ever happen? Minorities can never touch the Tapasheeli or tribal reservation, but these mischievous people (BJP) get their work done through agencies, they have got the order through someone but I will not accept this opinion. Those who have given the order should keep it to themselves, we will not accept the opinion of BJP, OBC reservation continues and will always continue."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)