Congress Questions PM Modi's Timing on Karpoori Thakur Visit

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) In anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to the birthplace of socialist icon Karpoori Thakur, the Congress party criticized the Prime Minister, raising questions about the political past of the BJP's predecessor. The Congress highlighted an alleged role of the Jan Sangh, from which the BJP emerged, in toppling Thakur's government in Bihar in April 1979, when the former Chief Minister had implemented reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

The Congress further accused the current government and its state "trouble-engine sarkar" of failing to safeguard Bihar's 65% reservation policy for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, and Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) under the Indian Constitution, despite past protections afforded by a similar law in Tamil Nadu.

This criticism came just before PM Modi was scheduled to address election rallies in the Samastipur and Begusarai districts. Before attending the rally in Samastipur, the Prime Minister planned to visit Karpurigram, the birthplace of Karpoori Thakur, honored with the Bharat Ratna last year by the NDA government.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, took to X to question the Prime Minister. He asked, "Is it not an acknowledged fact that the Jan Sangh was instrumental in bringing down Karpoori Thakurji's government in April 1979 when he introduced OBC reservations?" Ramesh also questioned if Thakur had faced significant hostility from the RSS and Jan Sangh leaders at that time.

Ramesh further remarked on an incident dated April 28, 2024, when the Prime Minister allegedly labeled those advocating for a caste census as 'urban naxals.' He cited occasions when the government rejected the idea of a caste census both in Parliament on July 20, 2021, and in the Supreme Court on September 21, 2021.

He also questioned the Prime Minister on allegations of inaction to defend Bihar's reservation law, something that, according to him, the Congress government achieved for a similar law in Tamil Nadu in September 1994.

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