What PM Modi Said On CM Modi’s Efforts Over OBC Benefits To Muslims

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his several speeches as he was campaigning for BJP seeking a third term in office, criticised the Opposition-led state governments, brought up the issue of benefits given to Muslims by various schemes. He has been advocating, while attacking Congress on a non-existent wealth redistribution plan from its manifesto, that he won”t allow the reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) , Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Communities (OBCs)and other deprived groups to be given to Muslims based on religion.

“They (Congress) want to insult the Constitution for their vote bank. But I want them to know, till the time I am alive, I will not let them give the reservation meant for Dalits, SCs, STs, and OBCs to the Muslims in the name of religion,” PM Modi said while addressing a public rally in Telangana”s Zaheerabad on Tuesday.

But, now, the opposition parties and social media has dug up an old video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he was seen talking about the work he had done as chief minister of Gujarat for Muslims.

The said video clip is from an interview with ANI”s Smita Prakash ahead of the assembly elections to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab in 2022.

PM Modi told Smita Prakash: “Among Muslims in Gujarat, there are 70 groups, who are OBC. When I was in Gujarat, they used to get benefits in the OBC category. Nobody, to date, has talked about this practice of inclusiveness but people are playing politics over the election candidacy whilst misguiding people with fake information. This then leads to some people declaring that minorities aren’t safe in India.”

The same conversation was also shared on PM Modi’s personal portal narendramodi.in. However, the transcription has missed the word Muslims and used minorities instead of that.

Here is what the portal reported:

“PM Modi also touched upon the issue of caste and religion in politics and policy-making. “When I was the Chief Minister, we identified minorities who got benefitted under OBC category. Nobody, to date, has talked about this practice of inclusiveness but people are playing politics over the election candidacy whilst misguiding people with fake information. This then leads to some people declaring that minorities aren’t safe in India”.”