BJP president J P Nadda said on Monday that there will be no reservation based on religion as long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party are in power.

Accusing the opposition of planning to give reservation based on religion, he said, "It is clearly written in the Constitution that there will be no religion-based reservation.

"As long as PM Modi and BJP are in power, there will be no such reservation," he told reporters.

He was in the city to campaign for Modi who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi for the third consecutive time.

"We will not allow anyone to encroach on the reservation of our Dalit, tribal, backward and extremely backward classes. You will see what will happen to the opposition on June 4 (the vote counting day)," Nadda said, while talking to reporters in Varanasi.

Addressing an intellectuals' meeting here, he said, "For a long time, politics meant 'divide and rule'. But now, the 'politics of development' is going on... What was the political situation 10 years ago?" Nadda asked, and said India was being counted among the corrupt countries but the biggest problem was that the common man had become indifferent towards politics and his faith had been broken.

Nadda said this becomes a threat to democracy but in the last 10 years, Prime Minister Modi created a trust among the common man about the country's development, the BJP chief said.

Earlier, the opposition spread casteism and created divisions on the basis of religion and region, he said.

"Prime Minister Modi has also given a jolt to this culture. Today, a politics of development is going on and in this, 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka prayaas aur sabka vishwas' (everyone's support, development, effort and trust) is the basis." Nadda also offered prayers at the Kaal Bhairav temple and Kashi Vishwanath temple.

"Whenever I come to Varanasi, I pay obeisance to Kal Bhairav temple, Sankat Mochan and Kashi Vishwanath temple. As we all know, Kashi is a religious city and the city which takes forward Sanatan Dharma. I get new energy from here," he said.

"I have prayed for the well-being of the society, peace and happiness and to give strength to the development works initiated in the Narendra Modi government. Modi will become PM for the third time with '400 paar' seats," he added.

Later addressing a meeting of the weavers in Varanasi, Nadda said, "When G20 was organised, the clothes given to the guests were made by our weaver brothers. Work was done to advance the traditional skills of the country." The 18th G20 Summit was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi during 9-10 September, 2023.

He added that the work was done to enhance the traditional skills of the country. Similarly, at least Rs 300 crore is being invested by Deendayal Handloom Complex in Varanasi so that the weavers can develop rapidly.

Nadda also said, "Modi ji worked to promote 'Vocal for Local', which is not just a slogan. This is the mantra of India's economy and the soul of making India self-reliant." Training his guns at the Congress, Nadda said, "Mahatma Gandhi had given the slogan of promoting khadi. But the Congress party ignored it. If anyone was concerned about khadi, it was Modi ji and he worked to bring it into the mainstream Therefore, 'One District, One Product' was encouraged." Nadda also said the "change that has come in the lives of weavers after 2014 has been possible due to the strong leadership of Modi ji".

He said, "Ten years ago, people thought nothing was going to change in this country. People had become indifferent.

"But under the leadership of Modi ji, the hopes and aspirations of the people have changed. Today they feel that a leader can change the country. Modi ji has worked to encourage the weaver community in every way," he said.

Nadda said along with celebrating National Handloom Day on August 7, work was done to promote the "weaver brothers". Today India's turnover in the handloom sector has increased five times, he added.

He said the work that Modi has done for the weavers in the last 10 years has not been done by any government in 70 years.

The BJP president also said when the people make Modi the prime minister for the third time on June 4, India will become the third largest economy of the world in the coming times.

Varanasi, where Prime Minister Modi is in the fray, will be going to the polls in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections on June 1.

The Congress has fielded its Uttar Pradesh president Ajay Rai from the seat. PTI ABN NAV KSS KSS

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