Rahul Gandhi admitted he failed to adequately address OBC issues. The BJP criticized this as a failure of the Congress, accusing them of anti-SC-ST-OBC sentiment, and emphasized the Modi government's OBC leadership.
OBC Politics: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks regarding the OBC community have become a major point of political contention. Rahul Gandhi recently admitted that he did not defend the OBC community in his political career as effectively as he should have. He also stated that if he had a deeper understanding of OBC issues and history, he would have conducted a caste census much earlier. Rahul attributed this mistake to his personal failing, not that of the Congress party.
BJP Targets Rahul Gandhi
Following Rahul Gandhi's statement, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bly criticized Congress and Rahul Gandhi. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the Congress party is completely bankrupt, and its leaders are also experiencing mental bankruptcy. He called Rahul Gandhi's statement a "bundle of lies," stating that the Modi government has done for the OBC community what Congress could never do.
OBC Representation in the Modi Government
Pradhan claimed that for the first time since independence, an OBC leader is serving India. For the past 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who comes from a backward class, has been leading the country. He said that Congress is troubled by this. He accused Congress of always being against SC-ST and OBC reservations.
Attacking Congress by Citing Sitaram Kesri's Example
Dharmendra Pradhan also questioned the internal politics of the Congress, saying that when Sonia Gandhi was to be made the party president, Congress insulted a senior leader like Sitaram Kesri by locking him in a toilet. This shows how the Congress party treats backward classes.
BJP's Stance on Caste Census
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is not taking a clear stance on the caste census. However, the BJP argues that their government has taken several concrete steps for the empowerment of OBCs. They questioned Rahul Gandhi on how many times decisions were taken on a caste basis in the Congress government. They said that under the leadership of the BJP, there has been an improvement in OBC representation and appointments in central institutions today.
Rahul Gandhi's Appeal for 'Participatory Justice'
At the 'Participatory Justice Conference' held in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi admitted that he did not give as much priority to the interests of OBCs as he should have. He said that he regrets that he could not take a decision regarding the caste census in time. Rahul also said that now he will correct this mistake and will work with full force to protect the rights of the OBC community in the future.
