NEW DELHI: The ongoing clash between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition Congress escalated as Rahul Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of falsely claiming OBC (Other Backward Class) status.
Gandhi’s assertion came during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Odisha, where he alleged that PM Modi was not born into an OBC family but rather belonged to the general caste.
“PM Modi was not born in the OBC category. He was born in the Teli caste in Gujarat. He was born in a family of the Teli caste, which was included in the OBC list during the BJP government’s tenure in Gujarat in 2000. Therefore, Modi is not an OBC by birth,” Gandhi alleged.
This comes after PM Modi called himself “sabse bada OBC” (the biggest OBC) in Parliament and accused the Congress of indulging in hypocrisy and adopting double standards while dealing with leaders of backward communities.
Gandhi’s remarks were promptly countered by the government, which released a statement presenting evidence to support PM Modi’s OBC classification. In a brief note titled “Facts regarding Rahul Gandhi’s statement on PM’s caste”, the government said the Modh Ghanchi caste (and the sub-group to which Modi belongs) “stands included in the Gujarat government’s list of socially (and) educationally backward class and OBCs”.
“After a survey in Gujarat, Mandal Commission prepared a list of OBCs under Index 91(A), which included the Modh Ghanchi caste. The Indian government’s list (of) 105 OBC castes for Gujarat has also included Modh Ghanchi,” it added.
They also highlighted that the Modh Ghanchi caste, to which PM Modi belongs, has long been recognised as socially and educationally backward, and was included in the OBC list during the tenure of the Congress-led government in Gujarat.
The BJP has emphasised its commitment to social justice and empowerment of backward communities, pointing out PM Modi’s own OBC background. In contrast, the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, has accused the BJP of hypocrisy and manipulation, alleging that PM Modi misrepresented his caste identity for political gain.
BJP’s IT wing chief Amit Malviya, sharing the gazette notification, wrote on X, “This is a blatant lie. PM Narendra Modi’s caste was notified as an OBC on Oct 27, 1999, a full 2 years BEFORE he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat…The entire Nehru-Gandhi family, starting from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi, have been against OBCs.”
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This latest spat comes amidst renewed discussions on a national caste census, a topic that has long been contentious in Indian politics. The Bihar government’s recent caste survey, revealing the significant population of OBCs and EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes), has reignited calls for a comprehensive census to better understand and address the socio-economic disparities within Indian society.
As the political rhetoric intensifies, both parties are gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with each vying to consolidate support from various caste groups. The BJP has challenged Rahul Gandhi’s assertions, labelling them as baseless and urging him to refrain from making misleading statements.
