BJP criticises govt on Sachar report

Criticising the Centre's decision to implement the Sachar Committee's recommendations 'in toto', the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday charged the ruling UPA with ignoring steps initiated by the previous National Democratic Alliance government. Those steps, they said, were of 'real benefit to Muslims', instead following a policy of 'blind populism'.

"The tone and texture of the Sachar Committee has a striking similarity to the Muslim League of pre-independence era. Unfortunately, the government is irrationally following a policy of blind populism which threatens to divide the nation," senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi told reporters.

Joshi pointed out that in the Mandal Commission, which was implemented more than a decade ago, there were provisions for the socially and economically deprived sections among the minorities but it failed to deliver the goods.

"This shows that reservation is not an effective mechanism to bring about social and economic equality. On the other hand, the prime cause of Muslim community's woes, lack of scientific education, has been completely ignored by the Central government," he said.

Joshi also alleged that the current regime has put in cold storage a number of schemes started by the NDA government, whose implementation would have 'brought about a revolution'.

He also criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent statement regarding Muslims having the first claim on resources and alleged that the Congress was interested only in assuming power even at the cost of national integrity.