'Samvidhan ki Aatma Par Aakhri Teer': PM Modi Tears Into Cong's Religion-Based Reservation

New Delhi: 'Reservation on the basis of religion would be the last nail in the soul of the Indian Constitution', Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, during the biggest election interview. Comparing the Opposition with a pick-pocket,  PM Modi launched a scathing attack on their leaders over the issue of Muslim quota and said they were playing their game and started screaming ‘Modi will change Constitution'. 

"They are playing games in the name of minorities and want to change the constitution, by bringing reservation-based religion, which would be the last nail in the soul of the Indian constitution. Wo dharm ke naam par aarakshan karna chahte hai aur jo samvidhan ki aatma par aakhri keel  hoga, aakhri waar hoga samvidhan ki aatma par”, PM Modi said in a hard-hitting word. 

Upping the ante further, the Prime Minister claimed that the country is concerned because they are attacking secularism too. “Jab Dharm ke aadhar par aarakshan karte ho toh aap secularism par bhi waar kar rahe ho, aur isiliye desh chintit hai”, Modi said. 

Speaking to Arnab, the Prime Minister strongly emphasized that the founding fathers of the Constitution staunchly opposed the concept of religious reservations. He points out instances, such as in Karnataka, where the Congress allegedly encroached upon OBC quotas to implement reservations for Muslims. The Prime Minister also accused the Congress of strategically using the Muslim quota issue in its struggle for political survival and to monopolize the Muslim vote bank.   

PM Modi And Arnab: Nation's Most Watched Interview Of 2024  

Religion-Based Reservation: What Does Constitution Say? 

The 1949 Constitution omitted the term 'minorities' from Article 296 but introduced Article 16(4), allowing the state to provide reservation for underrepresented groups in government services. The first constitutional amendment added Article 15(4), enabling special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes, as well as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Article 15 prohibits discrimination solely based on religion, caste, and other factors, with reservation seen as an extension of equality post the NM Thomas case. Articles 15 and 16 emphasize that if a group is considered weak or backward, it can receive special provisions.

Some Muslim castes were included in reservations under the OBC category without impacting SCs, STs, or OBCs' quotas. The Mandal Commission followed suit, including several Muslim castes in the OBC list, a principle upheld by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case, stating that any socially backward group, regardless of identity markers, can be considered for reservation.