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The Rajya Sabha witnessed intense debate and disruptions on Monday over the issue of religion-based reservations, particularly in Karnataka. The session was adjourned during the pre-lunch period as members from the treasury and opposition benches engaged in heated exchanges.
BJP National President and Rajya Sabha MP JP Nadda strongly criticized the Congress party, alleging that its efforts to introduce reservations based on religion contradict the principles set by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the Constitution. Speaking in the Upper House, Nadda said,
“The Congress party’s attempt to introduce religion-based reservations goes against the very principles laid down by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the Constitution. In Karnataka, Congress has already implemented a 4% reservation based on religion in public contracts. Even more alarming is their Deputy Chief Minister’s statement about altering the Constitution to fulfill their divisive agenda. This is a clear attempt to divide the nation for political gain and threatens India’s unity.”
Congress party’s attempt to introduce religion-based reservations goes against the very principles laid down by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the Constitution. In Karnataka, Congress has already passed a 4% reservation based on religion in public contracts. Even more concerning is that… pic.twitter.com/QO1U8kxz6h
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) March 24, 2025
As soon as Nadda concluded his remarks, BJP MPs moved into the aisles, raising slogans against the Congress. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju further escalated the attack, stating that a senior Congress leader, who holds a constitutional position, had allegedly expressed the party’s intent to amend the Constitution to enable religion-based reservations. Though he did not explicitly name the leader, his remarks were seen as a reference to Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar.
“This is not an ordinary statement. It has come from someone holding a constitutional position. Changing the Constitution for religion-based reservations is unacceptable,” Rijiju asserted.
In response, Leader of Opposition and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge countered the allegations, emphasizing that no force could alter the Constitution created by Dr. Ambedkar. However, amid continued sloganeering from both sides, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar was forced to adjourn the House till 2 PM.
The debate over religion-based reservations has become a highly contentious issue in the ongoing parliamentary session, with both the ruling and opposition parties using it as a political flashpoint. The developments indicate that the discussion around reservations is likely to remain a significant point of contention in the coming days.
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