Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar targets Rahul Gandhi over quota remark, says it shows 'anti-constitutional mindset'

Vice President criticizes Rahul Gandhi's anti-constitutional remarks on reservations, emphasizing the importance of upholding the Constitution.

In a veiled attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on “ending reservations”, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Sunday (September 15, 2024) that such comments by a person holding a constitutional post show an “anti-constitutional mindset”.

Addressing a public event in Mumbai, Mr. Dhankhar also said awareness about India's Constitution is highly needed as some people have forgotten its soul.

"A person from a constitutional post saying on a foreign land that reservation should be ended underscores the same anti-constitutional mindset. The baton of prejudices against reservation has been handed over. It is the same old anti-constitutional mindset," he said without taking the name of Gandhi, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.

"Reservation is not against meritocracy, but it is the soul of the country and the Constitution. It is an affirmative action and not negative. It is not depriving someone of opportunity but handholding those who are pillars of strength of the society," the Vice President said.

During a recent visit to the U.S., Mr. Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, said the Congress would think of scrapping reservations when “India is a fair place”, which he said is not the case right now.

However, at press interaction in the U.S. later, Mr. Gandhi had said he was misquoted to show that he was against reservations. "I have been saying again and again and again, we are going to increase reservations beyond 50%," Mr. Gandhi clarified.

Mr. Dhankhar said it was an irony that the foreign tour was not to follow duties like protecting the sovereignty and integrity of India and respecting its Constitution but instead "to express disrespect for the Constitution publicly".