Cong seizes on video of Acharya Pramod urging for end to quotas, says BJP goal is to change Constitution

NEW DELHI: With the video of the chairman of Sambhal Kalki Dham Nirman Trust Acharya Pramod Krishnam calling for an end to caste-based reservations going viral, Congress on Saturday claimed vindication of its charge that BJP if voted back to power would change the Constitution and end quotas for SC/STs and OBCs.

Krishnam who is campaigning for BJP had hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Kalki Dham temple in February.

Congress Wayanad candidate Rahul Gandhi in a post on X said, “It is now evident from the statements of BJP leaders and those close to Narendra Modi that their goal is to change the Constitution and destroy democracy. They want to snatch the reservations for Dalits, backwards, tribals to end their participation in running the country.”

Sharing Krishnam’s video on Saturday, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said in a post on X that the Congress will not let this kind of feudal thought process succeed. In the video, Krishnam is seen addressing a gathering where he says: “Caste based reservations are dividing the country. Baba Saheb Ambedkar has provided us with provisions in the Constitution that say clearly that there will be no discrimination based on religion, caste and gender. If you want to remove casteism from India’s democratic framework and politics, at the next ‘maha kumbh’ a proposal should be put out demanding that India should be freed from caste based reservation.”

Citing this video, Shrinate said, “That the law will be changed - this is not just an immature statement made by BJP leaders. These are the plans and ideas of Narendra Modi, RSS and BJP. Acharya Pramod Krishnam who is close to Modi is directly demanding that reservations should end.”