Backward classes panel chief slams Rahul Gandhi over PM's caste remarks

Backward classes panel chief slams Rahul Gandhi over PM’s caste remarks

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) National Commission for Backward Classes Chairman Hansraj Ahir on Friday condemned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks related to the caste of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought an apology from him.

Ahir alleged that Gandhi and the Congress are trying to sow the seeds of division in the country through his “mindless utterances” on castes.

“Crores of OBC people across India are seething with anger at the pathetic conduct of Rahul Gandhi because of his mindless utterances against our respected Prime Minister Narendra Modiji,” Ahir said.

The notification to include the “Modh Ghanchi” community in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list was issued by the Gujarat government on July 25, 1994 after a survey, he said, adding that even the Mandal Commission had included the community in the OBC list.

He said the National Commission for Backward Classes had advised the Union government to include Modh Ghanchi, the community to which the prime minister belongs, in the central OBC list for Gujarat in 1997 and a notification in this connection was issued on October 27, 1999.

“When both decisions were taken, Modi held no legislative or executive position,” Ahir said.

It is appalling to see the hatred that Gandhi has for the OBC, he said, adding that the former Congress president has clearly inherited it from his ancestors.

Ahir said Modi, while speaking in Parliament, highlighted the anti-reservation attitude of the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had opposed the Mandal Commission.

“The Congress under Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi did not even want constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes,” the former Union minister said.