Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress conspiring to snatch rights of OBCs, STs, SCs, give these to Muslims, says Keshav Maurya

The Congress will be punished in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for the 'social injustice' it has done with the country's Dalits, backwards and adivasis for 70 years, Maurya also said.

New Delhi: The Congress has "conspired" to snatch the rights of OBCs, SCs and STs, who are in "majority" in the country, and give these to Muslims, senior BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya alleged on Friday.

The Congress' "dangerous thinking" of taking away the rights of Dalits, the backwards and adivasis (tribals) and hand them over to "infiltrators" is clear from its Lok Sabha poll manifesto, Maurya told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

"They (the Congress) have clearly said in their manifesto that if given a chance, they will finish majoritarianism (in the country). The OBCs (Other Backward Classes), SCs (Scheduled Castes) and STs (Scheduled Tribes) are the majority in the country," the Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister said.

The Congress has committed the "sin of doing social injustice" with the country's Dalits, backwards and adivasis by "depriving" them of their rights for 70 years, he alleged and asserted that the grand-old party will be punished in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for this.

Maurya said the Congress has "conspired to snatch the rights of OBCs, SCs and STs, and give these to Muslims". The Congress and the I.N.D.I.A. bloc are "robbing" SCs, STs, OBCs of their rights, he said

This will not be tolerated at any cost, the BJP leader said.

"(Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi has said that a caste census will be conducted. You are talking about doing an X-ray while the country's OBCs, SCs and STs are doing an MRI of your conspiracy," he said.

Maurya alleged that the Congress' history is filled with "petty and disgusting" politics of appeasement.

The Congress' "hidden agenda" of the Lok Sabha polls is to grab power "anyhow" and handover the rights of OBCs, SCs and STs to Muslims so that its vote-bank becomes strong "forever", he alleged on day when voting is underway in 88 constituencies spread across 13 states and Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh, in the second phase of the elections.

Maurya also said Congress leaders are abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and using derogatory words for him as he comes from a poor family, belongs to an OBC community and has worked for the welfare and upliftment of every section of society.

"Giving reservation to Muslims in Karnataka was the beginning of robbing OBCs, SCs and STs of their rights. It is their target to rob OBCs, SCs and STs of their rights and give these to infiltrators," he alleged and demanded that the Congress and its allies in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc clear their position on the issue.

"If you do not give a clear view on this, SCs, STs and OBCs will settle the issue by giving the mandate to Prime Minister Modi for a third consecutive term and by blooming the 'lotus' (BJP's poll symbol) there (in Karnataka) also," Maurya said.