Telangana CM Revanth Challenges PM Modi’s OBC Claim, BJP Retaliates with 1994 Proof
"Telangana CM Revanth Reddy questions PM Modi’s OBC status, claiming he wasn’t OBC by birth. BJP counters with 1994 proof, sparking a heated political debate."
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s recent remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s caste have ignited a political firestorm, drawing sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The controversy emerged when Reddy claimed that PM Modi was not originally from a backward class (OBC) and accused him of having an “anti-backward class mentality.”
His comments were made in response to the BJP’s criticism of the Telangana caste survey. The BJP has since hit back strongly, calling the remarks baseless and misleading.
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Revanth Reddy’s Statement and Its Context
Revanth Reddy, speaking at a presentation on the Telangana government’s caste survey, asserted that PM Modi’s caste was initially classified as a ‘forward caste’ before he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He suggested that the BJP was attempting to deflect attention from the survey by creating a political controversy.
“The BJP is targeting the Telangana caste survey, but it is important to understand that PM Modi himself was not born into an OBC category. His caste was classified as forward before he assumed office in Gujarat,” Reddy stated.
His comments came amid an ongoing debate over the necessity and accuracy of caste surveys in India. The Telangana government has defended its caste census, claiming it was conducted scientifically and with voluntary participation from 96.9% of the state’s population.
BJP’s Strong Rebuttal
The BJP launched a scathing attack on Revanth Reddy for his remarks, with multiple leaders denouncing his statements as irresponsible and misleading. Prominent BJP leaders, including Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, BJP OBC Morcha national president K Laxman, and Union Minister Bandi Sanjay, responded aggressively.
Kishan Reddy’s Response
G Kishan Reddy accused the Telangana CM of distorting facts, stating, “Revanth Reddy should base his statements on historical data. The Modi government has done more for backward classes than any previous government, including granting constitutional status to the BC Commission.”
He further emphasized that the BJP has consistently worked towards the upliftment of backward communities, countering the claims made by Reddy.
K Laxman’s Fact Check
BJP OBC Morcha president K Laxman refuted Revanth Reddy’s assertion, stating that PM Modi’s caste was officially recognized as OBC as early as 1994, during the Congress government’s rule in Gujarat.
“CM Reddy’s statement is factually incorrect. Narendra Modi’s caste was listed as OBC by the Gujarat government in 1994 and later included in the central OBC list before the year 2000,” Laxman clarified.
Bandi Sanjay’s Counterattack
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay took to X (formerly Twitter) to challenge Revanth Reddy’s claims, sarcastically pointing out flaws in his research.
“Your research is so poor that you forgot one simple fact – PM Modi was recognized as OBC while the Congress was in power in 1994. Now, what caste is Rahul Gandhi? What’s his religion? Does he even know?” Sanjay posted.
He further suggested that if Congress wanted a debate on conversions and caste identities, they should start with their own leadership, indirectly targeting Sonia Gandhi’s family history.
Political Fallout and BJP’s Strategy
BJP leaders have framed Revanth Reddy’s statement as a deliberate attempt to divert public attention from the Congress government’s caste survey, which has faced its own share of criticism. BJP spokesperson N Ramchander Rao condemned the remarks, calling them “cheap” and “in poor political taste.”
“Their ministers themselves admitted that the caste census needs to be reviewed since some communities were left out. This controversy is a desperate attempt to distract from the flaws in their survey,” Rao added.
The BJP has also sought to remind the public of the Modi government’s track record in uplifting backward classes. Leaders have highlighted key initiatives, including the reservation for OBCs in educational institutions, loans and business schemes for backward communities, and the constitutional status granted to the OBC Commission.
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Revanth Reddy Defends Telangana’s Caste Survey
Amidst the backlash, Revanth Reddy stood firm on the Telangana government’s caste survey, arguing that the BJP and BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) were attacking it without any statistical backing.
“How can the BJP and BRS claim the survey is flawed when there were no official caste statistics before? We conducted the survey scientifically, and 96.9% of the population voluntarily participated,” Reddy stated.
He further assured that a second round of the survey would be conducted to cover the remaining 3.1% of the population.
Reddy also dismissed concerns over his political future, asserting that the caste survey was a commitment made to the people of Telangana and not for his own benefit.
“It doesn’t matter if I end up as the last Chief Minister from the Reddy community. I took up the caste survey as a promise made by Rahul Gandhi. If BCs fall prey to BJP’s propaganda, they will lose forever,” he declared.
