People will teach the ‘Italian’ Rahul Gandhi a lesson for insulting Modi, OBCs: Maharashtra BJP chief Bawankule
The Hindu
Pune BJP president criticizes Rahul Gandhi for insulting OBCs, calls for OBC leaders in Congress to resign.
Maharashtra’s BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday lambasted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remark that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “falsely” claimed to belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category, and accused the Congress MP of insulting OBCs across the country.
Exhorting prominent OBC leaders within the Maharashtra Congress — like MPCC chief Nana Patole and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar — to resign from the party over the “insult”, Mr. Bawankule said that the public would teach Mr. Gandhi a lesson in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
The BJP leader was alluding to Mr. Gandhi’s remark made during the Odisha leg of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Thursday, wherein the latter claimed that Mr. Modi was born in a family belonging to the general category.
“Modi ji has been misleading the people by saying that he is an OBC. He was born in a family of the ‘Ghanchi’ caste, which was included in the OBC list during the BJP government’s tenure in Gujarat in 2000. He changed his caste to OBC after becoming the CM of Gujarat. Therefore, Modi ji is not an OBC by birth,” the Congress MP had said.
In response, activists of the BJP’s OBC cell staged protests against Mr. Gandhi in Nagpur.
Speaking to reporters during the agitation, Mr. Bawankule said protests were being held against Mr. Gandhi across Maharashtra.
“Rahul Gandhi, who was born in an Italian family, has insulted Modi ji. He has been continuously insulting the PM and the entire OBC community. He is such a fool...When OBC reservation was implemented in Gujarat, Modi ji was not there (as the CM),” said the BJP leader, adding that the people would teach the “Italian Rahul Gandhi a lesson in the Lok Sabha election”.
27,277 nominations filed for 4,158 sarpanch posts under third phase
Rights organizations demand transparency from the Andhra Pradesh government regarding the confidential MoU with Google for a data center.
Parents and students protest in Varuna against the closure of local government schools amidst government merger plans.
Scholar emphasises that without social and economic equality, political democracy becomes meaningless and vulnerable to authoritarianism.
Eight arrested in Hyderabad with 16 kg of ganja and illegal liquor during coordinated raids by the Telangana Excise Department.
Kerala women, facing rising crime and misrule, are poised to voice their concerns through the ballot, says Jebi Mather.
Minister Kandula Durgesh announces efforts to establish the National School of Drama in Andhra Pradesh to enhance cultural institutions.
G.K. Mani reports S. Ramadoss filed a complaint against Anbumani for allegedly submitting fake documents to the Election Commission.
AIDSO leads protests against Karnataka's proposed school closures.
Mettur dam's water level is at 116.07 feet, with inflow at 4,270 cusecs and discharge at 999 cusecs.
Over 7.62 crore enumeration forms digitised in West Bengal, achieving 99.43% completion ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
CPI(M) to host 'Janadani' rally in Bengaluru on December 21, expecting over 30,000 participants advocating for alternative politics.
APCC chief Sharmila criticizes Andhra MPs for neglecting key state issues and unfulfilled bifurcation promises in Parliament.