In the wake of controversial remarks on reservations in India, Congress Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has issued a clarification, stating that he is not opposed to reservation policies and would even support extending them beyond 50 percent. His initial comments, made during an interaction at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, had sparked significant backlash from various political figures and parties.
Initial Comments and Controversy
During his engagement with students and faculty at Georgetown University, Rahul Gandhi discussed the future of reservation policies in India. He stated, “We will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place. And India is not a fair place.” This comment was interpreted by critics as a suggestion to eventually end reservations when fairness is achieved in the country.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quickly condemned Gandhi’s remarks. Union Minister Amit Shah accused Gandhi of revealing the Congress party’s “anti-reservation” stance. Shah remarked, “By speaking about abolishing reservations in the country, Rahul Gandhi has once again brought the Congress’s anti-reservation face to the forefront. The thoughts that were in his mind eventually found their way out as words.”
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Clarification from Rahul Gandhi
Facing intense criticism, Rahul Gandhi sought to clarify his position on reservations. In an interview at the National Press Club in the US, Gandhi emphasized, “Yesterday someone misrepresented my statement that I am against reservation. But let me make it clear – I am not against reservation. We will take reservations beyond the limit of 50 per cent.” This statement was intended to counter the perception that he wished to dismantle existing reservation policies.
Criticism from Political Rivals
Gandhi’s remarks also drew criticism from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati. She accused the Congress party of conspiring to end reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). “Be cautious of this drama of the supreme leader of the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi. He has said that when India is in a better condition, they will end the reservations of SC, ST, and OBCs. This makes it clear that Congress has been conspiring to end their reservation for years,” Mayawati said.
In addition, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also drew a sharp criticism of Gandhi’s remarks, saying that it had become a habit for the keader of opposition to insult his own country on the foreign land. he stated, “We have time and again said, he is welcome to criticise the policies of PM Modi, but why does it extend to insulting the country… At least in the foreign, he should respect the country.”
Further Controversy Over Remarks on Sikhs
Gandhi’s comments on reservations were not the only source of controversy. He also made remarks regarding the treatment of Sikhs, alleging that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) considers certain states, languages, religions, and communities to be inferior. Gandhi stated, “First of all, you have to understand the fight is not about politics. The fight is about whether a Sikh will be allowed to wear his turban or go to the Gurdwara in India. It’s not just for Sikhs, but for all religions.”
These remarks further inflamed tensions, with BJP leaders lashing out at Gandhi. BJP leader and three-time MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah went as far as to issue a threatening statement. “Rahul Gandhi you better behave, else you will meet the same fate as your grandmother,” Marwah said, in a reference to the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
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