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New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday directly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “show-off” created by the media, at Congress’ ‘Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan’ held in Delhi. “Narendra Modi koi hauwwa nahin hai. Media waalon ne sirf gubbara bana rakha hai, main unse mila hoon. Bas show-baazi hai, koi dum nahin hai,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi also admitted to a personal mistake in his political career. He said that although he has been in politics since 2004, he failed to understand the real issues of the OBC community. “It was my mistake, not the Congress party’s. I didn’t protect the OBCs like I should have,” he said. He added that had he known more about their history and challenges, he would have conducted a caste-based census years ago.
He called the OBCs, dalits and adivasis the true "productive force" of the country and accused the BJP and RSS of erasing their history and suppressing their representation. Rahul Gandhi said his aim now is to give these communities the respect and recognition they deserve.
The Congress leader promised that a caste census, described by him as an “X-ray of the population”, would be carried out in all Congress-ruled states. He also claimed that the caste survey already done in Telangana has shaken Indian politics. “You will understand the aftershocks of the caste census in Telangana a little later,” he said, calling the data collected more powerful than oil in today's world.
He criticized the lack of corporate representation of OBCs, dalits and adivasis in states like Telangana and claimed that while the privileged classes are getting corporate jobs and packages, these communities are only seen standing in MNREGA queues. He said, “Data is today’s oil. Companies have it. Now we have it too.”
Admitting where he fell short, Rahul Gandhi said, “I feel I did some things right like MNREGA, the Tribal Bill, and the Employment Guarantee scheme. But I should have done more for the OBC community.” He said that while the issues of dalits and adivasis are easier to understand because of their visibility, OBC issues often remain hidden.
He reiterated his commitment to the caste census and said that once he decides on something, he does not back down. “Ask my sister Priyanka Gandhi, when I make up my mind, I don’t step back.”
Meanwhile, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit back strongly at Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, accusing him of spreading lies and insulting the progress made under PM Modi’s leadership. He said Congress has always been against reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs, and is now feeling threatened because Modi, who comes from an OBC background, has been serving as Prime Minister for the past 11 years.
Pradhan reminded the public that Rahul Gandhi’s mother, Sonia Gandhi, had humiliated senior OBC leader Sitaram Kesri by locking him in a toilet to take over the Congress presidency. “This is how Congress treats OBCs,” he said.
He also accused Rahul Gandhi of misrepresenting data about central institutions and recruitment drives. “Let him speak either in Parliament or outside about how many ‘not found suitable’ posts were filled under UPA and how many under Modi. The record shows Modi government has launched the biggest post-filling campaign.”
Pradhan said that Congress has always been anti-OBC, anti-SC, and anti-ST, and Rahul Gandhi’s speech was just another political stunt.
