Revanth Reddy Claims PM Not From "Backward Class By Birth", BJP Slams Him

Amid a row over the caste survey in Telangana, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not from a backward class by birth but belongs to a "legally converted backward class". The caste PM Modi belongs to, Mr Reddy claimed, was added to the backward classes by the Gujarat government after the BJP leader became the state's chief minister in 2001. 

Slamming Mr Reddy, the BJP said the Telangana chief minister wanted to hog headlines by making such comments because he does not do any work and had failed to fulfil the promises he had made to the people of Telangana. 

Speaking at a Congress event on Friday, Mr Reddy said in Telugu, "PM Modi claims to be from a backward class, but he is not from a backward class by birth. He is a legally converted backward class. I am choosing my words carefully. Till he became chief minister in 2001, he was among the forward castes. After he became chief minister, he shifted his caste's category from forward to backward by enacting a legislation."

 "He says he is in the chair as a backward class. He may hold a caste certificate as a backward class but his mindset is anti-backward class," the Telangana chief minister claimed. 

BJP Spokesperson RP Singh said Mr Reddy was resorting to making such statements to remain relevant. 

"He (Mr Reddy) does not do any work and wants to ensure he makes headlines by making such controversial statements. He had earlier said (former chief minister) K Chandrashekar Rao had 'Bihari genes', thereby insulting all of Bihar. He should talk only after finding out all the facts," Mr Singh said.

K Laxman, the BJP's OBC (Other Backward Classes) Morcha national president, said Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had made a similar statement in the past.

"Mr Reddy's comment on PM Modi's caste is absolutely false. Rahul Gandhi had also made a similar remark and fallen in the eyes of the people. Why do people from the Congress keep commenting on the PM's caste? Revanth Reddy made the comment to keep his leaders happy. Mr Reddy could not fulfil the promises and guarantees that he made to the people of Telangana, who are angry,  and is making such statements to distract from the real issues," he said. 

Panel's Clarification

After Rahul Gandhi had made a similar statement last year, the National Commission of Backward classes had said that the notification for inclusion of the Modh Ghanchi caste in the State List of OBC was issued by the Gujarat government on July 25, 1994.

"National Commission for Backward Classes tendered advice to Union Government on 15.11.1997 for inclusion of Modh-Ghanchi in the Central List of OBCs for the State of Gujarat and Gazette Notification for the same was issued on 27.10.1999... It may be noted that when both of above decisions for inclusion of Modh-Ghanchi in the State List of OBCs as well as in the Central List of OBCs were taken, Shri Narendra Modi held no legislative or executive position," the commission had said. 

Caste Survey Row

After the Telangana government tabled some details from a caste survey in the Assembly on February 4, opposition parties, including the BJP and K Chandrashekar Rao's BRS claimed that it was not comprehensive. Some leaders from within the Congress also said that there were some issues with the numbers. 

The Telangana government then announced that a second round of the survey will be conducted to cover 3.1% of the state's population, which did not participate in the first round, from Sunday to February 28.