New Delhi [India], July 25 : Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday accused the Congress party of being against reservation and the empowerment of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). He also alleged that Congress leaders were spreading lies about the Modi government's work for OBCs and claimed that the party has a history of opposing social justice.
Speaking to reporters, Pradhan said, "The Congress party has become bankrupt. Their leader is also undergoing bankruptcy. Today, we heard the Congress party taking the support of lies once again. They have said that the Modi Govt has not done anything for OBCs. After independence, for the first time, India has been served for the last 11 years under the leadership of an OBC. Congress is bothered by that..."
Pradhan further alleged that the Congress has a long history of opposing social justice. "Generation after generation, the Congress party has been against reservation, especially against the empowerment of SC-ST-OBC..." he said.
The Union Minister also took a dig at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, challenging him to present comparative data on recruitment during the tenures of the Congress and Modi governments.
"If there is someone after Nehru ji who has served the nation for the longest time, it is PM Narendra Modi, who hails from a backwards family. To make Rahul Gandhi's mother the party chief, Sitaram Kesri was locked up in a toilet. He was shunted out by the Congress party in a humiliating manner. Rahul Gandhi has lied once again today...I tell him openly to speak either in Parliament or outside about how many 'not found suitable' categories were converted into General in their tenure and PM Modi's tenure. He also said that posts are lying vacant in Central institutions...There has been a record post-filing campaign, which is ongoing. Congress party is anti-OBC, SC, ST," Pradhan said.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the Narendra Modi government as nearly 80 per cent of posts for professors under the OBC category in central universities remain vacant, demanding that the vacant positions be filled immediately.
"Bahujans should get their rights, not Manuwaadi exclusion," Rahul Gandhi posed on X.
In central universities, 83 per cent of positions for professor under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, followed by 80 per cent of posts under OBC category, have been "deliberately" kept vacant, Gandhi said, adding, "64 per cent (of professor posts) for SC (Scheduled Caste) are deliberately kept vacant."
"Similarly, associate professor positions for ST: 65 per cent, OBC: 69 per cent, SC: 51 per cent also remain unfilled," he added.
Rahul Gandhi argued that the data presented by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, in Rajya Sabha was "solid evidence of the deprivation of Bahujans and institutionalised Manuwaad."