Congress vision document or division document, asks Arun Jaitley

BJP on Saturday criticised the 'Vision Document' of Congress saying mention of religion-based quota made it look like a "division document" and asked the party to reconsider it in national interest.

"The Vision Document of Congress seems more like division document as it states about providing reservation on the basis of religion. I want to ask Congress to reconsider it as it is neither in the interest of the nation nor any political party," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.

He said providing reservation on the basis of religion would not only divide the society but also deprive backward classes of their genuine rights. "This deprivation could agitate the people belonging to backward classes and lead to tension in the society," he said.

Jaitley said the Congress has announced its decision to give even 9% reservation to Muslims within the OBC quota in Uttar Pradesh if the party is voted to power despite the fact that the Constitution did not allow reservation on the basis of the religion.

In this regard, he said, Uttar Pradesh has become a battleground for "competitive communalism".

He accused the Congress of diverting from issues of development and corruption and instead trying to win elections by dividing the society.

Jaitley claimed that there is anti-Congress mood in the country "as the Congress-led government has not only failed to check soaring price rise but also established new dimensions in corruption."

To a question on Ram temple, he said BJP was always in favour of a negotiated solution.

Jaitley also alleged that Congress' attitude towards Uttarakhand has always been "unfriendly".

"Congress always ignored the demand of separate Uttarakhand as they have been doing now in the case of Telangana (in Andhra Pradesh). Secondly, they also snatched the industrial package from Uttarakhand, which it got from the centre during (Atal Behari) Vajpayee government," he said.

On the other hand, he said, the BJP always supported the cause of Uttarakhand and showed its commitment.

Claiming that the BJP would get the benefit of good and credible leadership of Chief Minister BC Khanduri in the January 30 polls, Jaitley said, "By winning elections under the leadership of Khanduriji, it would be proved that people give importance to the credibility of the leader. It pays to be honest."

To a question, he dismissed suggestions that BJP remembered Khanduri only at the time of elections and said he (Khanduri) has worked in several capacities in the government as well as the party organisation for the past several years.

When asked as to why Khanduri was removed in 2009, Jaitley said it was a a decision of the leadership after the party fared badly in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Regarding Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Jaitley said the entire world believes that his government is doing a good job and even the opposition Congress has also accepted the fact.

To a question, Jaitley said BJP leader Uma Bharti has already made it clear that she is not in the race for post of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and that there is no dispute in the party on the issue.

Regarding prime ministerial candidate of the BJP, Jaitley said the party would take a decision in this regard when the (Lok Sabha) elections come.