Rahul Gandhi says no Dalit, Adivasi in Miss India list; BJP hits back with data

Prayagraj: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he checked the list of former Miss India but found no Dalit, tribal, or OBC among the winners.

Gandhi made the remark during a 'Samvidhan Samman Sammelan' here, while pressing for a nationwide "caste census".

The former Congress chief said that without the participation of "90 per cent" of its people, the country cannot operate.

"I have checked the list of Miss India, which did not have any Dalit, Adivasi (tribal) or OBC women. Some will talk about cricket or Bollywood. No one will show the cobbler or plumber. Even top anchors in the media are not from the 90 per cent," he said.

"They will say Modiji embraced someone and we have become superpower. How have we become superpower when 90 per cent people has no participation?" he asked, attacking the mainstream media of the country.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also alleged that the BJP might say that he was trying to divide the country with his demand of a caste census.

"We want to now how many in institutions, corporates, Bollywood, Miss India are from the 90 per cent. I am only saying that 90 per cent did not have 'bhagidari' and this should be checked," he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP came up with some data to reject Rahul's claims that no Dalit or OBC ever featured in the list of Miss India. BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to X and shared a list of Miss India winners over the years.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also responded to Rahul's statement saying that the government does not pick contestants for Miss India contest.