New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (July 20, 2004) described the Andhra Pradesh Government's decision to give five per cent job reservation to Muslims as "illegal and unconstitutional" and said it will "encourage conversions".

Addressing the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi, he said the party fully supported reservation on the basis of economic, social and educational backwardness but was opposed to provision of such facilities on religious grounds, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters.

"It is illegal and unconstitutional and we should oppose it in all fora, including Parliament," Malhotra quoted Vajpayee as saying.

BJP has announced a countrywide fortnight-long 'anti-appeasement' campaign beginning July 26 in protest against the Andhra Pradesh Government's decision.