NEW DELHI, March 30: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct his party’s Members of Parliament to thoroughly research issues before raising them in Parliament, following accusations of appeasement politics against the opposition.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Ramesh’s remarks came after BJP MP K Laxman alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties engaged in appeasement and vote bank politics by extending OBC reservations to Muslims.
Ramesh posted on X, formerly Twitter, stating, “Today in the Rajya Sabha, the Indian National Congress was accused of appeasement because of its stance on reservations for Muslims on the basis of backwardness.” He added, “Here is what the Prime Minister had himself said on this subject on Feb 9, 2022. The PM should tell his MPs to do better homework,” accompanying his post with a video of the Prime Minister.
In the shared video, Prime Minister Modi is heard remarking that in Gujarat, there are approximately 70 castes within the Muslim community that are classified as Other Backward Classes (OBC). He stated, “In my Gujarat, when I was there, they received the benefits under OBC category, but I did not see that in the media.” The Congress leader used this statement to counter the allegations made in Parliament, implying that the Prime Minister’s own past statements supported a view that had been framed as appeasement by the BJP MP.
The controversy highlights ongoing political discourse surrounding reservation policies and their application across different religious and social groups in India. The Congress has consistently advocated for inclusive policies, while the BJP has often accused opposition parties of prioritizing specific vote banks. The exchange underscores the charged nature of parliamentary debates and political messaging in the lead-up to elections.
The Chenab Times News Desk