Amit Shah accuses Rahul Gandhi of mocking Constitution, criticizes Congress for anti-backward class stance

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a rally in Chhatarpur, Palamu, on Saturday, where he responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks regarding saving the Constitution. Shah strongly criticized Gandhi, accusing him of mocking the Constitution by waving around a book that he claimed contained nothing but blank pages. Shah said, “The Constitution is our symbol of faith, but Rahul Gandhi mocks it. He waves the book around, claiming to protect it, but when opened, it is empty.” He stressed that this was an act of disrespect towards India’s foundational democratic document.

Shah continued his criticism by focusing on Congress’s stance on reservations for backward classes, Dalits, and tribals. He accused the party of seeking to alter the current reservation system by redirecting benefits from marginalized communities to Muslims. While the Constitution does not specifically provide for religion-based reservations, Shah alleged that Congress had been advocating this shift, undermining the reservation rights of backward groups. Shah emphasized that the BJP would not allow this shift to succeed, stating, “As long as BJP is in power, we will not allow this conspiracy to succeed,” referring to what he described as Congress’s plan to redistribute reservation benefits to specific communities based on religion.

Further, Shah charged Congress with being an “anti-OBC” party, citing its historical opposition to measures benefiting the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). He recalled that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had opposed the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, which called for expanding reservations for OBCs. In contrast, Shah praised the BJP’s track record of supporting marginalized groups, specifically highlighting the 27% reservation for OBCs introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Shah stressed that the BJP had always been committed to the welfare of backward communities, unlike Congress, which he argued had consistently opposed such measures.

Shah also used the platform to make a series of promises for the people of Jharkhand if the BJP were to form the next state government. He assured the public that women in the state would receive ₹25,000 annually, as part of the party’s initiative to support women’s empowerment. He also pledged ₹2,000 monthly for unemployed youth, aiming to alleviate unemployment issues in the state. Additionally, Shah announced that gas cylinders would be provided at ₹500 each, a move aimed at making energy sources more affordable for residents. In terms of governance and employment, Shah promised to fill over 2.87 lakh vacant government positions within the next two years, ensuring full transparency in the recruitment process. He also committed to setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate any paper leaks in government recruitment exams, signaling the BJP’s zero-tolerance policy toward corruption.