The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Sunday held a mahapanchayat demanding to scrap 4.50 per cent reservation within the 27 per cent seats meant for Other Backward Classes being implemented since early this year.
VHP international president Parvin Bhai Togadia said the government must scrap the policy in the national interest. “It is unconstitutional and will pave the way for another division of the country on religious lines,” he said.
A senior VHP official said giving quota on the basis of religion is not allowed by the Constitution.
“The Muslim and Christian community must not be given any such reservation as it becomes reservation on the basis of religion, while we do not have objections regarding giving reservations to the rest of communities having minority status,” said VHP official.
The VHP said the reservation policy is to “appease” the Muslim community.
“We have sent a letter regarding scraping of the policy to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
We will keep holding such panchayats in different parts of the country to make people aware about it,” added the official.
Janta Party leader Subramanian Swamy said when Muslim rulers had ruled the country for over 500 years and Christians for over 200 years, they did not need any reservation.
“When there is no caste in these two religions, there is no question of any type of reservation,” Swamy said.