The party opposed reservation on the basis of religion, saying “it was totally prohibited in the Constitution” and slammed Home Minister Shivraj Patil for favouring quota for minorities in educational institutions and government jobs.

“This comment from the Home Minister is political brinkmanship at its worst to secure votebank, which the BJP outrightly rejects,” party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in New Delhi.

He said there has been some sort of national consensus on the constitutional prohibition for providing reservation on the basis of religion for the last 60 years.

“We demand the Prime Minister to clarify the Government position on this issue,” he added.

Patil on Wednesday had said the government was exploring the possibility of providing reservation for minorities in educational institutions and government jobs. However, hours later, HRD Minister Arjun Singh said there was no such move.

“There is a comical farce going on between Home Minister and HRD Minister which also requires Prime Minister’s intervention,” Prasad said.

The BJP spokesperson also took objection Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal’s reported remarks that there was a need to address the cause of terrorism and the sense of injustice which is promoting it.