Once an ‘Ayodhya Hero’, who countered Mandal with Kamandal, former firebrand BJP leader Kalyan Singh has now advised backward castes to snatch their reservation rights by ‘slapping’ those who attempt to deny it.
Speaking as a Chief Guest at a backward caste convention on Monday in Lucknow, organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister VP Singh in Lucknow, the Rajasthan Governor lauded the efforts of the ex-PM to implement the Mandal Commission report despite countrywide agitation against it.
“Reservation did not come as beggary but it was the dues which came to backwards and Dalits against their discrimination in the society. Give a hard slap to anyone who tries to snatch your reservation rights,” exhorted Kalyan Singh, who himself comes from the backward Lodh castes.
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, whose government was dismissed following demolition of Babri mosque in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, called upon backwards and Dalits to unite and fight for their constitutional rights. “No one will dare to snatch away your reservation rights if your stand united against them,” he said.
Kalyan pointed that a lot needs to be done to bring backward and Dalit women to join the mainstream of the society by using their reservation rights. “It pains me when I see less representation of backward and Dalit women in government jobs and other places,” said Singh.
During the convention, a few speakers demanded to make Kalyan Singh’s son Rajveer as the deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
VP Singh’s daughter Sunita Singh said that his father faced a lot of hatred after he implemented the Mandal Commission report to do justice with backwards. “It is now the time that he should be given due respect and recognition for his historical decision,” she added.
