HYDERABAD: Terming Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s caste as a mere political statement made due to “lack of knowledge”, Union Coal & Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Friday dared the former to a debate on the issue. “Revanth made the comments against the PM out of frustration because the Congress is losing its grip on the state and in the country,” he said.
Kishan, who is also the president of the state BJP, said that the Congress was unable to digest the fact a BC leader is occupying the prime minister seat and also receiving good response from the people. “Modi doesn’t need Revanth’s certificate,” he said.
“The Modi government provided statutory powers to the BC Commission. There are 27 OBCs, 12 SCs, eight STs and five minorities in the Union Cabinet,” Kishan said and declared that a BC leader would be made the CM if the BJP is voted to power in Telangana.
Meanwhile, MoS for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said that Revanth was trying to divert attention from the caste census, which showed a drop in BC population, by bringing up the PM’s caste. Sanjay Kumar accused the CM of focusing on Modi’s caste instead of providing 42 per cent reservation for BCs in the state as promised by his party.
Medak MP M Raghunandan Rao, meanwhile, also challenged the CM’s suggestion of socially boycotting those who refuse to participate in the census. He asserted that Revanth has no moral right to speak about Modi’s caste.