Rahul Gandhi responds to PM Modi’s statement, “Poor is the only caste” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swQsqonsPPQ Nov 14, 2023 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning his identification as an Other Backward Class (OBC) member while claiming to see only poverty as the prevalent ""caste"" in the nation. During a public rally in Durg, Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Modi asserted that poverty is the only caste for him, emphasizing his commitment to serving the poor.
Modi also called out the Congress for allegedly abusing the OBC community and questioned the basis for such criticism if he himself identifies as OBC. In response, Rahul Gandhi, speaking in Chhattisgarh on the same day, mocked the Prime Minister's ""poor is the only caste"" statement, questioning why Modi still refers to himself as an OBC if he believes there is no caste and only poverty in the country.
Additionally, Gandhi addressed the use of the term 'vanvasi' by the BJP to refer to tribal communities, stating that it is an insult to them. He argued that the Congress prefers the term 'adivasis' for tribals, emphasizing the significance of the word 'adivasi' as a revolutionary term that recognizes them as the original custodians of the country's water, forests, and land. Gandhi pledged to eradicate the term 'vanvasi' and its implications from the country.