Congress lost power due to its neglect of backward classes: Bhupender Yadav

Bengaluru: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, said on Saturday that the Congress party deliberately ignored the Kaka Kalelkar Commission report to prevent the social and educational advancement of backward classes, despite the Constitution clearly advocating the identification and upliftment of socially and educationally backward communities.

Questioning why those who claim to carry the Constitution in their pockets failed to implement the recommendations of the Kaka Kalelkar Commission, he remarked that after India emerged from the Emergency and family-rule politics, the Janata Party came to power at the Centre and established the Mandal Commission.

“It was only after Congress lost power that justice for OBCs began to be seriously discussed,” said the Union Minister while delivering the keynote address at the seminar titled ‘Caste Census: Retrospect and Prospect’, organised by the Social Justice Awareness Forum – Karnataka, at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on Racecourse Road on Saturday.

He further accused the Congress of neglecting the Mandal Commission’s report just as it had done with the Kalelkar Commission’s report.

“It was the OBCs who helped former PM late Rajiv Gandhi win over 400 seats in Parliament, but despite receiving their votes and coming to power, the Congress failed to ensure social justice for them,” he said. Yadav also criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for allegedly ignoring the OBC report.

He pointed out that it was only after the BJP-supported V.P. Singh government came to power that the recommendations of the Mandal Commission were implemented and reservations for OBCs were introduced. Yadav stressed that the Constitution is the foundation of all Indian laws. “While some may carry the Constitution in their pockets, we carry it in our hearts. If they keep it in their family’s wallet, we have embraced it within our souls,” he claimed. (IANS)

Also Read: ‘World now looks to India as a leader for climate action’: Bhupender Yadav

Also Watch: