In Rajya Sabha, PM Modi counters Rahul's Gandhi caste pitch: 'Chanting Jai Bhim after insulting Ambedkar for years'

PM Modi was replying to the discussion in Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address

A day after voting in the Delhi Assembly elections and exit polls gave the BJP an advantage over the AAP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Congress had nothing but hatred for Babasaheb Ambedkar.

He was replying to the discussion in Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address on Thursday. PM Modi said the Congress did not think Ambedkar deserved Bharat Ratna. "We know, if we look back at history, the Congress had a deep hatred towards Baba Saheb Ambedkar. There was so much anger towards him. And in every possible way, Congress used to get irritated with Baba Saheb's every word, and all the documents of this are available. And to express this anger, efforts were made twice to defeat Baba Saheb in elections. Baba Saheb was never considered worthy of respect...," said the PM Modi.

He said the Congress regime did not give Bharat Ratna to Ambedkar, but today they are forced to chant"Jai Bhim" for votes.

The PM alleged that  attempts are being made to spread caste poison in the society. "For many years, OBC MPs from all parties had been demanding constitutional status for the OBC Panel. But their demand was rejected, as it might not have suited their (Congress) politics. But we gave constitutional status to this panel," he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising the pitch for a nationwide caste census and has often attacked the Centre over lack of representation of backward castes in several walks of life, including government jobs.

During his address in Lok Sabha on February 3, Rahul said that not a single corporate was owned by a Dalit or an OBC. Citing the recent caste census in Telangana, he said that over 50% of the state's population belonged to backward community.