BJP supports OBC quota, blames Cong double standards

Raigarh, Apr 9: Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh today said his party favoured reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in educational institutions but it would not not approve the manner in which the Congress using the issue for its political gains.

''Its clear that the Congress is playing politics over OBC reservation, by announcing it when assembly elections are round the corner'', he told UNI during his 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra'.

Supporting reservation for OBCs, Mr Singh said his party had always been supporting any initiatives that could help remove socio-economic disparities.

''But the Congress has never been serious on such issues'', he said, adding that it was because of Congress party's double standards that the weaker sections could not not enjoy benefit of reservation in the institutions run by the minorities.

Claiming that there were serious differences within the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and even within the Congress, the BJP president said most of the problems confronting them was the result of oneupmanship.

Referring to Union Human Resources Development minister Arjun Singh's announcement to provide 27 per cent OBC quota in educational institutions, Mr Singh said the Election Commission had already taken strong exception to it . The Commission is yet to take a decision on complaint that it amounted to violation of model code of conduct for the elections.

''The Congress must reffrain itself from using such emotive and sensitive issues for narrow political gains'', he added.

UNI

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