BSP supremo Mayawati on Saturday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he included his caste in the list of Other Backward Class (OBC) communities for political gains.
Her comments came soon after PM Modi accused the opposition of thinking of him as a neech (lowly) person.
The former UP chief minister accused PM Modi of including his caste in the list of backwards during his term as the Gujarat chief minister.
Mayawati, BSP: In this election PM Modi tried his best to get votes in the name of backward classes. PM always belonged to upper caste but during his tenure in Gujarat he included his community in the OBC category for political gains. pic.twitter.com/Nscp9otNNV
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 27, 2019
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, she said, “In order to derive political profits during elections, he (PM Modi) got his upper caste included in the list of backward castes. Like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, (PM) Modi was not born in a backward caste.”
“Today, at Kannauj, he (PM Modi) said Behenji and Akhilesh (Yadav) think of him as a neech (lowly) person as he comes from a backward caste. Their (BJP’s) Dalit-backward card is not working anymore,” she added.
Mayawati, BSP: Today in Kannauj PM Modi said that we (Mayawati and Akhilesh) had called him ‘neech’ but we never said so. His accusations are baseless. With due respect we had always considered him someone belonging to upper caste. https://t.co/DAtO94ol2i
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 27, 2019
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While addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj, PM Modi had said, “This country didn’t know my caste till my detractors abused me…I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji, Congress people and the ‘mahamilavatis’ that they are discussing my caste…I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country.”
#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kannauj says, “Mahamilavat ke logon, saari koshish karlo lekin, ayega to……” People respond “Modi!” pic.twitter.com/tuBwQC9c0E
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 27, 2019
The Prime Minister also requested rival politicians to not drag him into caste politics. “I tell you with folded hands, I want no part in this. The 130 crore people of this country are my family,” he declared.
Polling in Kannauj will be held on April 29 in the fourth phase of the national election. The results will be declared on May 23.