Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing critique of the Congress party on Tuesday following the release of the Bihar government’s caste census results. He accused the Congress of “dividing” the Hindu community and emphasized that the largest demographic in India is the economically disadvantaged.
Addressing a rally in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, PM Modi referred to his predecessor, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who had previously stated that minorities hold the primary claim to the nation’s resources.
However, PM Modi questioned whether the Congress now aims to diminish minority rights, as they appear to advocate for population-based resource allocation. He asked if the Congress intends to remove minority rights.
Continuing his criticism of the Congress, PM Modi posited whether the Hindu majority, being the largest demographic, should assert their rights. He asserted that the Congress party is no longer governed by its members, with senior leaders remaining silent. PM Modi accused the Congress of attempting to divide Hindus and the economically disadvantaged, portraying them as detrimental to the nation.
PM Modi reiterated his commitment to the welfare of the economically disadvantaged, emphasizing that they are his top priority.
On the previous day, PM Modi had indirectly criticized the Congress, accusing the opposition party of playing with the emotions of the poor and dividing the country along caste lines for six decades.
The caste census results, released by the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar, revealed that Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) constitute a significant 63% of the state’s total population. The Congress, a member of the ruling coalition in Bihar, has promised a nationwide caste-based census if elected to power at the national level.
