Lalu clarifies Muslim reservation remark: ‘Based on backwardness, not religion’

Former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav rebuffed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s allegations that the INDIA bloc aimed to shift reservation from backward communities to Muslims and asserted that quota in jobs and education is granted based on social backwardness, not religion.
He also claimed that he was the one who implemented the recommendations of the Mandal Commission, also known as the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC) responsible for identifying such classes and recommending steps for their advancement.
“I implemented the ‘Mandal Commission’. Reservation samajik adhar par hota hai dharmik aadhar par nahi hota hai (it is based on social backwardness and not based on religion). Atal Bihari Vajpayee constituted the Constitution Review Commission,” Yadav said speaking to ANI.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi attacked Lalu Prasad after the RJD leader said that “Muslims should get a reservation in full”.
At a rally in Madhya Pradesh, Modi said, “The person, a key ally of INDIA bloc, who is convicted in fodder scam and out on bail, has today said Muslims should get a reservation. That is not all. He has said Muslims should get reservations in full. It only means they (INDIA bloc) want to snatch the reservation of SC/ST and OBCs for giving reservation to Muslims.”
Modi said he had only alleged that the Opposition was planning to take away a part of the reservation, “but their conspiracy is even bigger, they want to take away the whole reservation”.
Speaking to ANI, Lalu said that after three phases of the Lok Sabha elections, the momentum appeared to be in favour of the INDIA bloc. He predicted that the BJP would struggle to secure even 200 seats.
“We are getting reports in our favour after the third phase. They are saying 400-plus to induce psychological pressure, they won’t even cross 200.”
“They (BJP) want to end reservation, they are against backwards and Dalits,” Lalu said.
Voting in Bihar, which contributes 40 Lok Sabha members, will be held across all seven phases, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.
Today, as part of the third phase, polling was held for five Lok Sabha seats: Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Araria, Madhepura, and Khagaria.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP-led NDA secured a near-clean sweep in the state, clinching 39 out of the 40 seats.