The government responded on Thursday to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s caste background. Gandhi, during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Odisha, disputed Modi’s claim of belonging to an Other Backward Class (OBC), asserting that Modi was born into the Ghanchi caste, which was later included in the OBC list during the BJP’s tenure in Gujarat.
Rahul Gandhi’s allegations regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s caste
In a statement titled “Facts regarding Rahul Gandhi’s statement on PM’s caste,” the government clarified that the Modh Ghanchi caste, to which Modi belongs, is indeed included in the Gujarat government’s list of socially and educationally backward classes and OBCs.
The government cited the Mandal Commission’s survey in Gujarat, which listed the Modh Ghanchi caste under Index 91(A) of OBCs. Additionally, it reminded Gandhi that the notification to include this sub-group in the OBC list was issued on July 25, 1994, during the Congress’s rule in Gujarat. Another notification by the Government of India on April 4, 2000, also confirmed the inclusion of the Modh Ghanchi caste in the OBC list for Gujarat.
The government emphasized that during the release of both notifications, Modi was not in power nor holding any executive office. Gandhi’s remarks on Modi’s caste background coincide with the ongoing debate between the government and the opposition regarding a national caste census, an issue the BJP has historically been cautious about.
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Last year, Bihar’s statewide caste survey revealed that OBCs and EBCs accounted for over 60% of the state’s population, underscoring their significance as crucial voting demographics and adding pressure on the BJP.
