Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to former party president Sitaram Kesri on his death anniversary at party office in Delhi. Photo credit: X/AICC
On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited socialist leader and former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur’s village in the poll-bound state, the Congress on Friday said Thakur’s government collapsed in 1979 because the Jan Sangh withdrew support over reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
“Is it not an accepted fact that the Jan Sangh – from which the BJP emerged – toppled the Karpoori Thakurji government in Bihar in April 1979 when the then CM introduced reservation for OBCs? Is it not a fact that Karpoori Thakur ji was then subjected to the most vile abuse by RSS and Jan Sangh leaders?” Congress communications director Jairam Ramesh asked in a post about X.
Mr. Ramesh also said that Mr. Modi had in April last year described those seeking a caste census as “urban naxals”.
“Isn’t it a fact that he and his sarkar in the state have done nothing to give protection to Bihar’s law of 65% reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes) under the Constitution of India – a protection that a similar law gave to a similar law in Tamil Nadu in September 1994? said Mr. Ramesh.
Tributes and criticism
Focusing on OBC leaders, the Congress paid tributes to former party chief Sitaram Kesri on his 25th death anniversary and called for criticism of the BJP.
Mr. Gandhi along with other leaders paid floral tributes to Kesri at the party headquarters at 24, Akbar Road.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) office on Akbar Road is the same place from where Kesri was removed as Congress president by the Congress Working Committee amid much drama. The coup against Kesri paved the way for Sonia Gandhi to take over as party president in 1998. An OBC leader from Bihar, Kesri served as the Congress chief from 1996 to 1998.
In a post on X, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Time is the real equalizer. Once Sitaram Kesri was humiliated at the behest of the first family of the Congress – his dhoti torn, locked and shouted to clear the Congress throne for Sonia Gandhi… Today Rahul pretends to show great respect because Bihar?
The BJP leader also mentioned that the Congress had denied the ticket to mountain man Dashrath Manjhi’s son for the upcoming Assembly elections.
“Rahul Gandhi deeply hates Biharis and OBCs – did he condemn DMK or Revanth Reddy’s comments on Biharis? Did he say anything about Congress calling Bihar beedi? Did he condemn PM Modi’s mother for being abused by Congress, RJD?” asked Mr. Poonawala.
Published – 24 Oct 2025 21:06 IST
