BJP to resist 15 pc budget allocation on communal grounds

Kochi, Jan 13 (UNI) Terming as ''unconstitutional'' the proposal to allocate 15 per cent of the budget for minority communities, BJP President Rajnath Singh today declared that his party will strongly oppose any such move by the UPA Government.

Addressing a meeting of the party's Kerala State Council here, he said the BJP would support the government, if it provided special facilities to the poor. However, any move to make special budgetary provisions on the basis of religion would be strongly resisted as this was in total contravention of the Constitution, the party President added.

Accusing the UPA Government of making such proposals because of ''votebank politics'', the BJP chief said his party stood for ''justice for all and appeasement of none''.

Striking a note of confidence about the party's prospects in the next general elections, Mr Singh said the BJP had won Assembly elections in four states in 2007, and is now ruling in six states with full majority and in four others in coalition with other parties.

''The public mood indicates that no one can stop the BJP from coming to power at the Centre in the 2009 general elections,'' he added.

Claiming that the Congress was now bereft of the ideology of its founding fathers, Mr Singh said while Mahatma Gandhi had envisioned his political ideology in terms of establishing 'Ram Rajya' in the country, the UPA Government was filing affidavit in the Supreme Court questioning the very existence of Lord Ram.

''The Congress can now lay claim only to the name 'Gandhi' as in Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, whereas Mahatma Gandhi's actual work and vision have passed on to the BJP,'' he claimed.

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