No Question of Reservation Based on Religion: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah firmly rejected the idea of religion-based reservation, stating that the government will move forward within the constitutional framework to ensure social justice. He made it clear that there is no scope for including religion as a basis in women’s reservation policy.

Speaking during the discussion on women’s reservation bills in a special session of Parliament, Shah took a strong and clear stance. He stated that reservation based on religion is not possible under any circumstances.

His remarks came in response to a demand by the Samajwadi Party, which advocated for separate reservation for Muslim women.

Rejecting the allegations, Shah clarified the government’s position and emphasized that the Constitution of India does not permit reservation based on religion. He added that if Akhilesh Yadav wishes to provide representation to Muslim women, he is free to allocate all party tickets to them, and the BJP would not object.

Response to Opposition and Census Clarification

The Samajwadi Party had questioned whether Muslim women are not part of the population and why special provisions should not be made for them. It also accused the government of delaying census and caste data under the pretext of implementing women’s reservation.

Shah rejected these claims and clarified that the census process has already begun, and caste enumeration will be included in the second phase.

Addressing concerns about the census, he stated that currently, houses are being counted, and houses do not have a caste. Taking a swipe at the opposition, he remarked that if given a chance, they might even assign caste identities to houses.

He also indicated that the government is committed to social justice but aims to implement it in a more structured and data-driven manner.

Including caste census is a step in that direction, which will help build strong foundations for future policies. The government’s goal is to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats and provide one-third reservation to women.