New Delhi | Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the birthplace of socialist icon Karpoori Thakur, the Congress on Friday took a swipe at the PM and asked whether it is not an acknowledged fact that the Jan Sangh brought down Thakur's government in Bihar in April 1979 when the-then CM introduced reservation for OBCs.
The opposition party also asked whether it is not a fact that the PM and his "trouble-engine sarkar" in the state did nothing to provide protection to Bihar's 65% reservation law for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs under the Constitution.
The attack came ahead of PM Modi addressing two poll rallies in Samastipur and Begusarai districts. Before addressing the public rally in Samastipur, the PM will visit Karpurigram, the birthplace of socialist icon and former Bihar CM late Karpoori Thakur, who was conferred the Bharat Ratna last year by the NDA government.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed questions to the PM and asked whether it is not an acknowledged fact that the Jan Sangh - from which the BJP emerged - brought down Karpoori Thakurji's Govt in Bihar in April 1979 when the-then CM introduced reservations for OBCs?" "Is it not a fact that Karpoori Thakur ji was subjected to the vilest abuse by RSS and Jan Sangh leaders then?" he said on X.
Is it not a fact that on April 28, 2024 he himself called those demanding a caste census as 'urban naxals' and that both in Parliament (20th July 2021) as well as in the Supreme Court (21st September 2021) his government categorically rejected a caste census, Ramesh asked.
"Is it not a fact that he and his trouble-engine sarkar in the state did nothing to provide protection to Bihar's 65% reservation law for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs under the Constitution of India - a protection that the Congress Govt had provided to a similar law in Tamil Nadu in Sept 1994?" the Congress leader said.
The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results set to be announced on November 14
