Appeasement politics of Congress will weaken national unity: BJP

BJP criticizes Congress for Muslim appeasement politics, warns of weakening national unity, and highlights historical implications of such actions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (March 15, 2025) said the “appeasement politics” of Congress, the latest example of which was the “unconstitutional” decision of the Karnataka government to provide 4% reservation to Muslims in government contracts, would weaken national unity.

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At a press conference, senior BJP spokesperson and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wondered why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been making frequent trips to Vietnam. “He is in Vietnam during Holi and was there during the New Year as well,” he said.

The BJP leader alleged that the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka decided to provide 4% reservation to the Muslims in government contracts at the behest of Mr. Gandhi, who wanted the Congress to lead the ongoing “competitive vote bank politics” among the Opposition parties.

“This reservation in Karnataka has been extended under the full patronage and approval of Mr. Gandhi. Mr. Siddaramaiah does not have the courage nor the political capital to announce it on his own,” said Mr. Prasad, stating that it would be challenged in the court.

“Although such issues seem small, but added together they have national implications...during the freedom movement, ‘small issues’ were raised...they demanded their own university, own education, separate voting. All that ultimately led to the division of India. ‘Small’ issues become big in this manner. The way the Congress party is setting new standards every day in this competitive vote bank politics and Muslim appeasement politics is a threat to the country,” he said, also flagging the issue of attacks on Hindu temples in West Bengal.

“How far will this appeasement politics go? Will there be a limit to this? Will there be a separate line for Muslims from now on? Will there be reservation for buying railway and cinema tickets?...they have lost so many times, still they do not understand, this shows how big is the grip of the vote bank politics on them. The BJP will opposite it (move to provide 4% reservation)...because religion-based reservation is not permitted under the Indian Constitution,” he said. Reservation could be given to OBCs in the Muslim community, the BJP leader pointed out.