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New Delhi: A fresh political storm erupted as Congress leader Udit Raj likened Rahul Gandhi to B.R. Ambedkar, suggesting the Congress MP could become a "second Ambedkar" for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sharply criticised the comparison, calling it an "insult" to Dalits and to the architect of the Indian Constitution.
In a post on social media platform X on Sunday, Udit Raj wrote, "OBCs will have to think that history does not give opportunities for progress again and again. They should follow and support what Rahul Gandhi said at the Talkatora Stadium conference. If they do so, then Rahul Gandhi will prove to be a second Ambedkar for them."
Raj's comment came a day after Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a gathering, acknowledged that failing to conduct a caste census during the UPA regime was a mistake. He also expressed his resolve to correct it if given the opportunity.
"I didn't protect the OBC community the way I should have. I didn't understand their issues deeply back then. If I had, the caste census would have been conducted much earlier. That was my mistake, and I am going to correct it," Gandhi said.
He also highlighted some of his past initiatives, like the Land Acquisition Bill, MGNREGA, and the Tribal Rights Bill. He said he worked effectively on tribal, Dalit, and women's issues but acknowledged falling short on OBC representation.
The BJP reacted strongly to Udit Raj's comment. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of disrespecting the legacy of B.R. Ambedkar. "Now they are talking about a second Ambedkar when they never respected the original one," he said.
"Who denied Ambedkar the Bharat Ratna? Who failed to implement his Constitution fully in Jammu and Kashmir? Who said reservation was bad? It was Jawaharlal Nehru," Poonawalla alleged.
He further claimed that the Congress was attempting to appropriate Ambedkar's legacy while continuing to ignore his principles. "Now they want Rahul Gandhi to be seen as the new Ambedkar instead of Nehru or India? Does that mean they accept Nehru was wrong? Congress believes only in worshipping one family," he added.
