Atal turns hawkish on Muslim quota

Former PM A.B. Vajpayee said today that the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to provide five per cent reservation to Muslims in education and employment would promote conversion.

Speaking at the BJP parliamentary party meeting today, Vajpayee described the action as ‘‘illegal and unconstitutional’’ and declared the party would oppose it, said party spokesman V.K. Malhotra. While the Sangh Parivar has criticised the AP action, it is only Vajpayee who has sought to link it with conversions, a key issue for both RSS and VHP. It is the second time that Vajpayee has taken a hawkish line. Earlier, he had sworn by RSS ideology and declared that what to talk of governorship, no BJP leader would wish to occupy any high office at the cost of ideology. The BJP has already described the AP decision as a test for replication at the national level. It has announced a countrywide ‘‘anti-appeasement’’ campaign from July 26.