Soon after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not born in an Other Backward Class family, and that he is "misleading" people by identifying himself as an OBC, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya accused him of lying.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) Malviya said that “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,” Malviya added, and showed a gazette notification that indicates that 'Modh Ghanchi' caste was notified as OBC in 1999 two years before Narendra Modi became the chief minister of Gujarat for the first time.
Rahul's criticism was related to Congress's call for a caste census, while PM Modi said in a Rajya Sabha remark that Congress has always been against Dalits. Jawaharlal Nehru's letter to chief ministers, which PM Modi cited, stated that Nehru opposed Dalits and tribals receiving reservations in government positions.
Rahul on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not born in an Other Backward Class family, and he is "misleading" people by identifying himself as an OBC.
Rahul, while making a brief speech on the third and concluding day of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Odisha, said Modi "was born in a family that belonged to the general caste".
Modi ji has been misleading the people: Rahul
"Modi ji has been misleading the people by saying that he is an OBC. He was born in a family of the 'Ghanchi' caste, which was included in the OBC list during the BJP government's tenure in Gujarat in 2000. "He changed his caste to OBC after becoming the CM of Gujarat. Therefore, Modi ji is not an OBC by birth," the Congress MP asserted.
Gandhi had earlier in his address claimed that Modi belonged to the 'Teli' caste, but later clarified he meant the 'Ghanchi' caste.
The former Congress president also alleged that the prime minister will never conduct a caste census in the country, without which social justice cannot be achieved.
"A majority of people are denied social justice. Only the Congress party will conduct this caste census and ensure social justice in India," Gandhi said.
The Congress leader said whenever he talks about social justice and a caste census, Modi mentions about the existence of only two castes in the country - rich and poor.
"If there are two castes, then which one do you belong to? You are not poor; you change clothes several times during the day... and then lie about belonging to the OBC category... The PM does not shake hands with OBCs, but hugs billionaires," Gandhi alleged.
