Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, currently in Chhattisgarh for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, made a striking statement on Saturday, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's identification as an Other Backward Class (OBC) member. Addressing a public meeting in Jagdalpur, Gandhi challenged the Prime Minister's assertion that 'poor' is the only caste in the country. Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of disrespecting tribals by using the term 'vanvasi' instead of 'adivasi' and pledged that his party would eliminate the term 'vanvasi' from the national discourse.
During the rally, Gandhi stated, "PM Modi said in his speech that poor is the only caste in the country. We all know there is Dalit, Adivasi, backward class in the country. If there is only one caste in the country, why does he call himself an OBC?" He added, "Do you know How do I know that because he never hugged any OBC, He has never hold any farmer's hand."
Gandhi expressed his dismay at the Prime Minister's assertion that there is no caste but only poverty. He remarked, "It is shameful that the PM of this country claims that there is no caste but only poverty." Responding to Prime Minister Modi's recent rally in Durg where he emphasized serving the poor, Gandhi accused the BJP-led Centre of facilitating undue benefits for industrialists like Adani. He alleged, "What does Modi ji do? Give your land to Adani ji? Adani ji snatches your land...The money goes to America. It goes abroad. Adani ji gets benefits from that money. BJP leaders get it (money). The money is used for elections."
Gandhi contrasted the Congress's approach, stating, "The Congress gives money to farmers, laborers, and tribals which benefit them." He also criticized the use of the term 'vanvasi' for adivasis, claiming that it is an insult. Gandhi asserted that the Congress would not accept the term, emphasizing its derogatory nature. He accused the BJP of holding a demeaning view towards tribals, stating, "They think that your place is in the forest like animals, and they treat you like animals."
The BJP responded, alleging that raising the issue of OBC is an attempt to divide the country. BJP spokesperson Sacchaind Upasane stated, "Modi ji has rightly said that the poor are uniting and hence they are raising the issue of OBC … This is divisive politics."
The upcoming state assembly elections in Chhattisgarh are scheduled to be held in two phases on November 7 and 17. Jagdalpur constituency in the tribal-dominated Bastar division is among the 20 seats going to polls in the first phase, while the remaining 70 constituencies will vote in the second one.