Lok Sabha: Amit Shah Targets Congress Over OBC, Women’s Reservation

Amit Shah on Friday criticised the Indian National Congress in the Lok Sabha. He called it the biggest anti-OBC party.

The Minister asserted that 27 ministers in Narendra Modi’s government belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community.

Replying to the debate on the women’s reservation bill, Shah accused the Congress of opposing both women’s reservation and the interests of OBCs and Dalits over the years. He said the Congress opposed caste-based census exercises in 1951 and 1971, and only shifted its stance after electoral setbacks.

Amit Shah also pointed out that the party ruled the country for decades. He said it never made an OBC leader the Prime Minister.

“The grand old party never made any OBC country’s Prime Minister, despite being in power for six decades,” he stated.

The Minister noted that 27 ministers in the current government come from OBC communities, accounting for about 40 per cent. He further added that the government has empowered states by granting them the right to manage OBC lists.

“Our government also extended the ‘rejig rights’ of the OBC list to the respective state government for their empowerment,” Shah noted.

Referring to past developments, Amit Shah said the Indira Gandhi government had put the Mandal Commission recommendations on hold in 1980. He added that the VP Singh government implemented OBC reservations in 1990. Shah said Rajiv Gandhi opposed the move at the time.

The Minister questioned the Congress’s current support for OBCs. He called it politically motivated.

Shah further asserted that the Government of India has consistently worked for their welfare.

Amit Shah also linked the debate to the women’s reservation bill. He said women across the country are closely watching the Opposition’s stance.

“Today, ‘Nari Shakti’ of the country is watching the Opposition’s stand and their resistance to 33 per cent reservation for women. They are watching who is snatching their rights, and they will punish them adequately when they hit the streets,” the Minister asserted.

Shah further said that this was the fifth instance of Congress opposing women’s reservation and warned of electoral consequences.

Highlighting the Bharatiya Janata Party’s record, he cited leaders such as Sushma Swaraj, Uma Bharti, Vasundhara Raje and Anandiben Patel. He also noted that Droupadi Murmu became the first tribal woman President with the party’s support.

“It’s sad and unfortunate that those who stalled women’s reservation before are against trying to scuttle the bill,” Shah stated.