Centre keen on appeasing minorities: Gadkari

Centre keen on appeasing minorities: Gadkari

Addressing a large gathering at “Swabhimana Samaavesha,” a backward class convention, organised by State unit of the party at Palace Grounds, BJP National President Nitin Gadkari alleged that the Centre wants to cut down the share of reservation for the OBCs and instead provide reservation for minorities.

“It is an act of vote bank politics. The Congress wants to cheat the backward classes and appease minorities...The report is a curse to backward classes. We will never allow its implementation,” the BJP chief stated.

BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan and State BJP President K S Eshwarappa too opposed the report.

“We are ready to go to jail but will never allow the Centre to implement the report. The implementation of the report will amount to grave injustice to backward classes,” said Yeddyurappa.

Panel to be set up

Yeddyurappa, in a bid to woo the backward classes announced a number of measures in the State, including extending loan at 6 per cent interest for every OBC family to buy a pair of milch cow, setting up a backward class committee at district level to address their problems, providing housing facilities and a survey on the status of backward classes.
Though he did not elaborate on the 6 per cent loan scheme to buy milch cows, he said the plan is to extend the loan to around 25,000 beneficiaries in every district.

“I have already spoken to K S Eshwarappa on the need for conducting a survey on the status of backward classes. The survey will facilitate the government in chalking out new programmes for the development of backward classes. Funds for the development programmes will be earmarked in next year’s budget,” he added.

On the controversy over issuing caste certificate to Sadaru Lingayats under 2B Category, the chief minister sought to clarify that Opposition parties are misleading the people. “I will not let this happen in my life time,” he said.

Earlier, Eshwarappa commended Chief Minister Yeddyurappa’s work towards the welfare of backward classes and assured that he would continue to be the chief minister for the second term.

I will shed tears no more: CM

Yeddyurappa promised not to shed tears hereafter but instead try to wipe the tears of backward class people.

“Considering the state of backward classes, I shed tears during the recent Saadana Samavesha. From now on I will not do so. I will single-mindedly work towards the welfare of backward classes and try to wipe their tears,” he stated.