Congress leader says Rahul Gandhi could be ‘second Ambedkar’ for OBCs; BJP retorts ‘LoP can only become…’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit out at the Congress party after one of its leader said that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi could prove to be the “second Ambedkar” for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Congress leader Udit Raj, in a post on social media platform X on Saturday, wrote, “OBCs (Other Backward Classes) will have to think that history does not give opportunities for progress again and again. They should follow and support what Rahul Gandhi said at the Talkatora Stadium conference. If they do so, then Rahul Gandhi will prove to be the second Ambedkar for them.”

His comments came a day after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, speaking in Delhi, acknowledged that not conducting a caste census during the UPA government was a mistake, and said he was determined to correct it.

“…One shortcoming remained in the Congress party and my work: I didn't protect the OBC community the way I should have. The reason is that I did not deeply understand the OBC issues at that time. Ten to 15 years ago, I understood the difficulties faced by Dalits. Their issues are visible, they are easily understood, but the problems of OBCs remain hidden,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.

“If I had known about your issues and problems at that time, I would have conducted a caste-based census right then. That was my mistake, which I am going to correct,” the MP from Raebareli admitted.

Responding to Udit Raj’s remarks, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya accused Congress of hatching a conspiracy to diminish Ambedkar's legacy. "Congress is now worried about finding another Ambedkar. But the country knows how Congress betrayed Dr Ambedkar and repeatedly insulted him, which is recorded in history," he wrote on X.

Malviya also took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi and said he could "never become anything, except a historic failure."

"The question is — why isn’t Congress searching for another Nehru? Because this effort is a conspiracy to diminish Dr Ambedkar’s legacy and greatness," Malviya wrote.