BJP calls for redefining 'minorities; condemns minority appeasement

New Delhi, Jan 28 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party today came down heavily on the UPA government's ''minority appeasement'' policies and warned that the party would ''go to any limit'' to thwart the move to allocate the minorities a separate quota in bank loans or first right over natural resources.

BJP President Rajnath Singh, in his address at the Party's two-day National Council Meeting, which began here today, called for ''legally re-defining'' the term minority and also appropriately determine in what spheres it would be applicable.

He described as ''truly shocking'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that the Muslim community should have first right over natural resources and said the government was keen to introduce ''communal budgeting'' in the National Development Council (NDC) Meeting called for discussing the forthcoming five-year plan.

The central government also tried to allocate a separate ''communal quota'' in bank loans and funds earmarked for development, he said.

''I would like to assure the entire country that despite being in opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party will go to any limit to thwart any such move. The BJP believes that every section of society must be developed. Any attempt to communally colour development is condemnable,'' he said.

Pointing out that while the government had hiked allocation for minorities but reduced for SC and OBCs by 2 per cent, he demanded creation of a nodal agency to monitor that the funds appropriately reach needy persons in these sections.

''I request the government to legally re-define the term minority and also appropriately determine in what spheres it would be applicable,'' he added.

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