# India

Rahul challenges PM’s claim on backward classes

The Congress leader, who embarked on his yatra from Thoubal in Manipur on January 14, 2024, reached Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, on Thursday.

Statesman News Service | Raipur | February 8, 2024 7:27 pm

Rahul challenges PM’s claim on backward classes

Starting the Chhattisgarh leg of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi addressed the concerns of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the light of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertions in Parliament.

The Congress leader, who embarked on his yatra from Thoubal in Manipur on January 14, 2024, reached Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, Gandhi called Narendra Modi’s claims on the OBCs questionable. He said Modi belongs to the Teli caste from Gujarat, which was later classified as OBC by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 2000.

He also raised concerns over the representation of OBC communities in Parliament and called for a caste-based census to rectify the underrepresentation of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in the management of top 200 companies and governmental positions.

Reiterating his party’s commitment to social justice, Gandhi called upon the audience to critically evaluate the promises made by the BJP and take an informed decision at the hustings.