Reservation In India | Lalu Prasad Yadav Backs, Will Muslim Quota Card Backfire? | News18

And the second part of Rastax tonight, Can a secular country like India have reservations that are based on religion? Prime Minister Modi. During his election rallies, he’s often accused the opposition of trying to snatch away the rights of scheduled cars, scheduled tribes as well as other backwood cars and then giving it to them to the Muslim community to try and appease their vote bank. Amid these allegations and counter allegations that are politically, you know, completely on the campaign trail, RJD supremo and former Bihar Chief Minister Lal Prasad Yadav today said when he was questioned on Muslim quota, he said. And he backed full reservation for Muslims, of course, Later on he climbed down. Meanwhile, speaking to CNN News 18, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has clarified that this is not a quota that’s based on religion. That the 4% quota that’s prevalent in Telangana right now was given to poor Muslims under the BCE category, which is backward caste economic, which is for backward classes amongst Muslims and not just for all Muslims. So let’s play out those sound bites and then well go across back to our panel. Jo Muslim practice karte wo practice me Jo garibo garibo in the name of BCA group. BC E group in reservation reservation. Nai Modi J musalman O karakshan milna chaye or Sir Bharakshan NE milna chaye Ki pura ka pura raksha Musalman O ka milna chaye iska matlab kya Hua iska matlab kya Hua yani SCSTOBC samajko jitana aarachan Mila hai. Wo chin kar yellow pura ka pura Aarachan musal mano ko dena chahate hai. And let’s open this up back to our panelists. Siddharth Yadav, spokesperson of the BJP. It has seen Punawala political analyst Satika Rahman Islamic scholars also joining us, Sidharth Yadav. I played out a portion of what Revanth Reddy, the Telangana Chief minister, yesterday’s told me. And by the way, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are a few of the states where there is this Muslim quota, he says They are not being given reservation because they are Muslims. They are being given reservations because they are backward. Amongst the Muslims, that 4% there are specific backward caste within Muslims who are getting that not all Muslims are getting. How do you respond to that? Zaka, I am delighted that you have brought this up and this must be understood by all your viewers. There’s a difference when reservation, such kind of reservation comes up. We do have in different states historically given reservation to few communities from the minorities under different caste based on the historical context of where they were placed economically, socially, educationally, on different parameters. But what the Congress party is trying to do is absolutely different from this. The Congress party is trying to give a blanket reservation like they did in Karnataka, like they tried to give in Andhra, like they’re trying to do in Bengal. Blanket reservation. The reservation is there in other communities also in we have SCS, SCS, Obcs, there’s an income bar as well. You know, the categorizations have been done. All of that has been done. How can you today, in 2024, in the 21st century in different states come out and say if you born in a Muslim family, we don’t care. Are you a forward cast, backward cast, Amir gariba, whatever. But you will be given this reservation. This is not reservation, this is appeasement. For this appeasement they must be called out because what they are doing today is just for their vote bank. They are crossing the lines that snatching away the rights of the SC, SC, St. So they seen you know the point. The point even if even if they you know you’re giving a sub quota within backwards like like they are doing in Telangana. Point is why is that restricted only to Muslims? You don’t have backward caste reservation for Christians, backward caste reservation for Sikhs, backward caste reservation for Buddhists and you know followers of other faiths only for Muslims. The backward caste reservation reservation is there. Why is that they seen because because its not based on religion, its based on Dhaka. Absolutely no. Let him respond. Let’s see him respond. Let me finish take take 10 seconds. I’ll finish after let him make him lame. Because make your point and and the and the reason for that is and the reason for that is its the. If the real reason behind this was not appeasement then definitely more communities would be added to it. Why not for Farsis? OK, I understood the point, understood. Under 7000 he he made the point why reservation there but they they would not do it. OK, Sidharth, yes, I have understood the point. So now he said why not party. He said he’s understood why not party, party. So I am my ancestry is actually Parsi Muslim. So parties are in three cities, Mumbai, Pune and basically in Gujarat. Why not parties in Gujarat? Why not? Because an average party, a poor party, somebody who’s whose income is ₹1,00,000. That’s how parties are considered. Why not I gave you my time. So unfair. You’re you’re not allowing me. Don’t do that. So why not Parties in Gujarat, parties are in Gujarat. Why don’t you give? Why we give you in Bafan in Muslim, Bafan in Gujarat, Dafar in Muslims. Now there is no Hindus in this. Why given Fakir Achajats in Gujarat, Hindus have not got reservation. Muslims have got. Why only Muslims? Galeria Gachi Gachi is where Prime Minister comes from. Only Muslims and Prime Minister put in Hindus Hindu aya chat. As I told you Khatki Kasai Chamarya Bhatki Jamadar, Kumbar Darbar Bandhan Majoti, Makhrani Mathwa. Why Qureshi? Why all of this in Gujarat only Muslims Hindu Kyuni dicte Kasai. Why only Muslims, Hindu Kasai Kyuni Deriya. That is the problem because its on economy its not on religion. If it was on religion and Congress is wrong, why are you doing it in Gujarat? I am telling you this is in Gujarat. Please Fact Check me in. No no no no no. Tessin tessin answer the question he is asked why not poor? Why not poor or backward? Christians, backward Parsis, backward Sikhs, backward Jains. Why? Why? Why? Why should reservation not be extended to backwards in other minority communities? Also why only Muslims? Why its not done on? Its not done in religion within in Telangana as the Chief minister told you or in Gujarat as Siddharth Bhai will defend. Its not done on religion, its done on backwardness. Why other caste havent come in should be got it? I’m not disputing it. Who’s the only person who’s saying increase the quota? Rahul Gandhi. Who’s opposing it? These people, why are they opposing it? Do the caste and increase the caste quota? Who’s refusing it? But even in Gujarat let me give an example. Jat Muslims get reservation. Jat Hindus don’t. Are you telling me Zaka in Gujarat, the Jat Hindus rich? He himself said party Why party is the same Gujarat not given. So see they’re exposing themselves. The problem is Congress can’t expose them. Congress doesn’t have this. No, no. See Atiku Rehman. No, it is no ones case. No, no Atiku Rehman. One second. There is no ones case that people who are deserving, who are socio, economically, educationally, backward, irrespective of which religion you come from, you should get. Now we have a 10% EWS quota, right? A 10% EWS quota. If you get ₹8,00,000 per annum or less than ₹8,00,000 per annum, you are considered economically weaker section. There it does not matter whether you’re Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Parsi, whatever you are, if you get under 8,00,000 per annum and if your child needs reservation in a higher educational institution, he or she will get it irrespective of religion. That should be the yardstick. Whereas in Karnataka, Andhra, Telangana, the 4% that has been given, even though it is under backwards, it is for exclusively Muslims. And in Karnatakas case, the BJPS contention is when BJP was in power, when Mr. Bomai was in power, he took that 4%, gave it to vocal ligas and to Lingayats only for that to be taken back and given back to Muslims. So Zakah, that Karnataka thing we are talking of, we should be remembering that the Supreme Court has restored it. So what the Prime Minister and the BJP is claiming with the 4% Karnataka Muslim reservation is to my view, a contempt of court. Now this needs a Fact Check that if the BJP and the Prime Minister is saying that irrespective of any economic or social and educational backwardness, the Muslims in Karnataka are getting this 4% reservation, this needs a Fact Check which the Karnataka leaders themselves say. No, this is not the thing. The only Muslims who are backwards, educationally and socially, only they are provided those and that is why the Supreme Court restored it. But the larger question Zakah is why is the Prime Minister lying? Why is he saying that the Congress will be acting out this from the St. and then providing to the Muslim This is he is evoking on religious grounds which should be backed by the election. No, no, no, no, no. I think, I think, I think goodbye. There is one, one clarification there. I think they seen also asked you know who who is stopping BJP from increasing the 50% quota? Who I’ll tell you who is stopping a nine judge constitutional bench order. A historic order, by the way in the Indrasani case had put a cap of 50%. Now there are one or two states that have bypassed that. In Tamil Nadu, for example is the case. They put it under the 9th schedule. But who is yeah, who is opposed to it? When the question is asked why doesn’t BJP do it? Because straightaway it will become unconstitutional unless you challenge the 9 judge bench order of Indrasani judgment and Tasin. Tasin is a is a is a lawyer as well. So he knows if you’re going to set a precedent by overturning 9 judge bench constitutional orders, then I I shudder to think. You know tomorrow anybody can come and take away anything they can turn overturn fundamental rights also. Why not? So Maharashtra is ensuring the Marathas that they will be, you know, exceeding the 50% quota and then giving the Maratha quota. Who is ruling Maharashtra? No, no. Besides this No no no no no Mr. Mr. Mr. Atiku Rahman that matter is still in court. That has not been entirely given the courts approval. I’m saying on a matter of principle and Tehseen can response to that Yadav also as I’m coming to the the last part here Tehseen what is what is stopping the BJP or what is stopping what should stop any political party? Is this 9 judge bench order. Its a historic order. No. Attiku Rahman is right. The BJP is lying one in Maharashtra, They promised. If the matter sub judice and stop, how can they promise #2 the Indirasani judgment? I challenge the EWS reservation in Supreme Court. There was anyways made irrelevant with the EWS reservation where 10% is put in, now in 10% is put in EWS in Maharashtra. You’re promising it. Supreme Court has restored Karnataka. Why are you stopping it? Do the caste census as Rajnath Singh promised and give the people their share. Jiski Jitni Sankyavaru Skiti said. Ariba, you don’t want to do it. Let’s say that by say on this show that BJP will not do caste census and not increase it. I will concede the argument, are you are you against economically because section quota? Is that what you’re saying? I I want economically because section. I had challenged. I had challenged it on the grounds of Indira Sani. So what did the what did the central government say there? Indira Sani has to be breached. That’s how EWS came in because Indira Sani was once Indirasani is breached, Supreme Court, central government is said it. Why can’t you now give it to everybody? So now give it to everybody. You only prove breached it. You said that in Supreme Court, Karnataka has been restored on the same thing. You are using the same argument for Maratha. Now give it Sudhar Yadav. Yeah, you can do it for Marathas and for EWS. Why can’t you do it for Muslims? Yeah Zaka there is a lot of Fact Check that has to be done and I will do that point by point #1 Rahman Sabo saying that the Karnataka case is a different one. This and that. The NCBC chairperson had written a letter to the Karnataka government. The response to that letter has come out. You have given a blanket reservation. Its very evident in the letter. So please don’t lie here, sit here and say no no its different. Its only for the backwards this and that. When you mention Supreme Court, why don’t you mention Andhra, Andhra Pradesh governments district. You you try to give it a reservation in Andhra. The Supreme Court struck it down because the very same reason because the constitution does not allow it. You must understand when the scene by will sit here with the research and say these 10 castes have been given there why not Kasai in Hindus are that is not the case. What we are saying is if 91 OBC castes are there in Bengal, 85 of them are Muslim and all Muslim castes have been included and only six from other communities have been included. How many Christians, How many giants, How many bots? You won’t answer that. These are two varied separate issues. You want to give a blanket reservation to all caste or to a religion which has no caste by the way but to all caste 2 of that religion and then say no no its different we are giving in this quota and that quota #1 #2 Indra Sani judgment. I am also a lawyer by profession Zaka Indra Sani judgment. Every case of breaching the reservation has to be tested on the Indra Gandhi. In the Indra Sani judgment. Every every reservation and the E double EWS one was also. So you you can’t say that once it is breached, it is breached forever. Who said so? The Supreme Court has not. The Supreme Court did never said it in the EWS case that the Indrasani judgment is now breached and now you can give a reservation of 90%. Why lie on the national television is what I ask. OK, I will. The constitution has not handed. We will not give it. We will have to leave it at that. I am completely out of time. Thank you very much. Siddharthi Adav Tezim Punawala Tiku Rehman. That’s a wrap of brass tacks this Tuesday night edition.