Jaipur, Feb 20 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may again face legal trouble as a petition has been filed in a Jaipur court, seeking action against him for his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s caste during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Odisha.
The petitioner, Vijay Kalandar, in his complaint has alleged that Rahul is a casteist and has hurt not only his religious sentiments but that of many other communities and castes when he said that Modi was not an OBC by birth, on February 9.
The petitioner, who is an advocate himself, filed the complaint at the metropolitan magistrate’s court-11 of Jaipur Metro -II. The court has kept the legal complaint for an office report on February 23.
Kalandar, in his petition, argues that Rahul deliberately made the statement to create unrest in the country, which has endangered national security, and that the statement itself is divisive to the unity and integrity of India.
Rahul had sparked a controversy by publicly saying that Modi was not an OBC by birth but belongs to the general category during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Odisha.
This had come after Modi called himself ‘sabse bada OBC’ and had accused the Congress of indulging in hypocrisy and double standards when dealing with leaders of backward communities.
Modi had said in his reply to Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in Lok Sabha: “Congress Party and UPA government did not deliver justice to OBCs. A few days ago Karpoori Thakur ji was conferred with Bharat Ratna. In 1970, when he became Bihar CM, what was not done to destabilise his government? Congress can’t tolerate OBCs. They keep counting how many OBCs are in the government. Can’t Congress see the biggest OBS here, (pointing towards himself).”
Published 20 February 2024, 13:31 IST