Rijiju Counters Rahul Gandhi's OBC Claims, Cites PM Modi as 'Biggest OBC Face'

New Delhi- Union Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly rebutted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's assertions about OBC, SC, and ST representation in power structures, pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's OBC background as a prime example of inclusive leadership. Responding to Gandhi's parliamentary speech demanding a caste census, Rijiju questioned the Congress leader's awareness, stating, "Can't he see Prime Minister Modi himself is the biggest OBC face? PM Modi is the most popular leader in the world."

Drawing from personal experience, Rijiju highlighted his own position as a tribal serving as Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Minister, alongside Arjun Ram Meghwal, a Law Minister from the SC community. He challenged the Congress party's historical record, asking whether they had ever appointed a tribal or Dalit as law minister or an OBC as prime minister. This came in response to Rahul Gandhi's assertion that despite OBCs, Dalits, tribals, and minorities constituting 90 percent of the population in Telangana, they remain underrepresented in corporate ownership and power structures.

The exchange intensified when Gandhi directly addressed BJP's OBC leaders, claiming they "have no real power" despite representing 50 percent of the population. Rijiju dismissed these remarks as baseless and advised Gandhi to prepare for Prime Minister Modi's upcoming reply to the Motion of Thanks, scheduled for 5 p.m. that day. The debate underscores ongoing political tensions over caste representation and power distribution in Indian politics.