PM Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in Solapur on Wednesday, referred to the landmark decision of the introduction of the 124th Constitutional Amendment Bill, providing 10% reservation for the economically weaker section in the general category for jobs and education, which got through the Lok Sabha yesterday, as a historic step and a strong answer by the Parliament to those spreading lies.
In his speech, Modi made references to the “Samanya Varg”, meaning the ‘general class’. He said “Yesterday late night, a historic bill was passed in Lok Sabha. By passing the bill regarding 10% reservation being granted to the economically weaker section in the general category, our principle of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ has been further strengthened.”
सामान्य वर्ग के गरीबों के लिए 10% आरक्षण पर मुहर लगाकर ‘सबका साथ, सबका विकास’ के मंत्र को और मजबूत किया गया है : पीएम श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी pic.twitter.com/vOdjZbhqcI
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 9, 2019
The Prime Minister in his speech claimed that BJP is committed to uplift the nation’s youth, has been relentlessly working to provide equal opportunities and a platform for growth to the poor, irrespective of where they come from or whichever caste they belong.
Assuring that the rights of the deprived sections, including the Dalits, the OBC’s and the tribal people, will not be affected because of this bill, Modi, lambasted at Congress saying that the previous government having a penchant of playing caste-based politics, ripped off the deprived sections by squeezing their allotted quotas unlike BJP who, by introducing an additional 10% quota has established its objective of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’.
However, DNA, a popular media house, in a flash, grabbed the opportunity to do what several media outlets, journalists and the so-called liberals have been displaying since the time Modi has taken the reigns in his hand.
In a report DNA published on January 9, they headlined the article, in which they reported the above Modi’s speech as ‘Upper caste quota bill strong answer to those spreading lies: PM Modi‘. This is a clear distortion of PM Narendra Modi’s words giving it a completely biased tone. They misquoted Modi referring to the ‘general quota’ as ‘upper caste quota’.
However, the truth is that in the Bill itself, the words ‘Upper caste’ finds no place at all. This 10% reservation is aimed at economically backward sections regardless of caste, creed, and religion. Perhaps the journalists are peddling this fake news because now that it has been passed, the demands for caste-based reservation and that of Muslim reservation would not find any traction or legal sanction. Any other category except the SC, ST, OBC etc would need to avail of the 10% quota if they meet the financial backwardness criteria.
This decision, which is being considered a milestone decision, though due to political considerations, received a nod form the oppositions, soon, as expected, started receiving the predicted criticism. All the suspected ‘Modi-haters’ began spreading lies and misrepresentations surrounding the same.
