Patna: In an implied retort to the BJP's contention that the opposition was taking away OBC's quota and passing them to Muslims, Lalu Prasad, the president of the RJD, declared on Tuesday that he supported giving Muslims reservation benefits.
He claimed that the BJP, which is currently in power at the Centre, intended to repeal the reservations by scrapping the constitution.
"The BJP is against the provision of reservations made in the Constitution. Hence, it wants to do away with both", Prasad told reporters at the legislative council premises.
The ailing septuagenarian, who nowadays prefers to stay indoors, was attending a swearing-in ceremony where his wife Rabri Devi took oath as an MLC.
Others who took oath included Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Prasad's arch-rival who heads the JD(U).
Altogether 11 people were elected unopposed to the Upper House of Legislature in Bihar in the biennial polls held earlier this year.
On BJP's charge that if voted to power, the Congress, RJD and other allies would "steal" reservations meant for OBCs and divert these to Muslims, Prasad said, "But should not Muslims get the benefit of reservations? (Aarakshan to milna hi chahiye Musalmanon ko)".
He also said the BJP was indulging in scaremongering (bhadka rahe hain) by raising the bogey of "jungle raj" at election rallies.
He also mocked the "abki baar 400 paar" claim of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying "woh khud hi paar ho gaye hain (he is on his way out). The poll outcome will be in our favour".
With PTI inputs