Quota on religious grounds unconstitutional: Shah on promise made in Raj Cong manifesto

Jaipur, Nov 23: Reservation on religious grounds is unconstitutional and cannot be done. If someone tries to do it, the BJP will strongly protest against it, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, in answer to a query by IANS.

Adding more to the answer, he said without naming Congress, “In fact, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should not speak about minority quota as they are not winning these elections.”

Shah claimed that the next government in Rajasthan would be formed by the BJP as the saffron party would register a thumping victory in the state.

Amit Shah was addressing a press conference in Jaipur on Thursday.

Speaking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Sachin Pilot, Shah said that Gehlot should say two good sentences about Sachin Pilot, “this is my only request.”

Modi had said a day earlier that a Congress family had punished Rajesh Pilot as well as his son. Shah also spoke on the law and order situation in Rajasthan and said, “More than 2 lakh cases of crimes against women have been registered. In Rajasthan, 19 cases of crimes against women have been reported every day in the last five years. It accounts for 22 per cent of rape cases in the country. Still, the Ashok Gehlot Government is not making any difference to the situation. Women are seen united against Ashok Gehlot and are with Narendra Modi.”

He further said that in the entire history of Independent India, it has never happened that Rs 2.35 crore in cash and one kg of gold was found in the cupboard of the secretariat. But there was no expression on Gehlot’s face after learning of the situation.

“No one has ever seen such a cold attitude towards corruption. A Mahant had to commit suicide for illegal mining, but the mining did not stop. Many scams have come to light here,” he added.

Speaking on farmers’ loan waiver promises made by the Congress, he said, “Land of more than 19,000 farmers was auctioned in Rajasthan. The Gehlot Government, which came with the promise of loan waiver to farmers, could not waive off the loans of even five per cent of the farmers in five years. Farmers are standing united with the BJP against the Gehlot Government. Dozens of farmers have committed suicide here.”

Shah also spoke on the paper leak case and said, “In a way, all records were broken in the matter of paper leak in recruitments. More than 15 paper leak cases were not seen anywhere in the country in the last three years. More than 40 lakh young candidates were going to appear in these examinations. Their future has been ruined by the Gehlot Government. Even these cases have not been properly investigated.”

Taking a jibe at Gehlot’s ‘magician’ image, he said, “When Rajasthan elections started, I was told to think carefully and make a strategy because Gehlot Saheb is a magician. But after doing the entire tour, I have come to know that many things have gone missing. These are jobs, law and order, and food items, but now the public has made up its mind to make them disappear. In fact, Modi has made the country secure and safe and has also made it prosperous, brought the economy to number five, hoisted the Tricolour on the moon. Today, under the leadership of Modi, the people of Rajasthan are standing to give him a huge majority. The BJP government will be formed here by breaking all records.”

On the question of whether Gujaratis want to come to Rajasthan and defeat Marwaris, he said that only sons and daughters of Rajasthan are contesting elections on all the seats here. He said that whenever Modi has been insulted, the public has responded to the Congress. At the same time, Ashok Gehlot himself has no guarantees, what guarantee will he give? - IANS