Hyderabad: Rajya Sabha Member and BJP OBC Morcha National President, Dr K Laxman, criticised the Congress-led government in the State headed by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy deceiving the BCs under the guise of a caste census.

Speaking at Dr BR Ambedkar Jayanthi celebrations on Monday, he said that Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, claim that a caste census will serve as a role model for the country.

However, in Telangana, 51 per cent of BCs are inaccurately represented as 45 per cent, with 10 per cent of Muslims included in the BC quota. “Is this truly a role model for the nation? Or, all that the Congress party seeking is vote bank politics in the name of caste census,” he asked.

Dr Laxman said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government at the Centre has implemented numerous programmes since coming to power to uphold his ideals and principles at both the governmental and party levels. “Babasaheb Ambedkar is a monumental figure who provided a constitution to the largest democratic country in the world. He thoroughly studied the social and economic conditions of the people to ensure backward sections were given representation and rights in the constitution.

Ambedkar faced humiliation repeatedly at every turn from the Congress party and the then-Prime Minister Nehru. However, Modi continues to govern with profound respect for Ambedkar. “Ambedkar was the first person to earn a doctorate in economics. Despite demonstrating his capabilities as the Law Minister in the first Union Cabinet, Nehru pressured him to resign. Ambedkar opposed Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, warning that it would lead to the country’s partition. The Congress party ignored his clear objections to this special status.”

Since Nehru’s time, the Congress Party has engaged in appeasement politics. It also blocked the passing of the Hindu Code Bill to provide equal rights to Hindu women.

Similarly, Ambedkar also proposed granting constitutional rights to SCs and STs, establishing a national commission for Backward Classes (BCs). But Nehru disregarded his suggestions. Ambedkar’s resignation from the cabinet was due to insults from Congress leaders. The Congress party has a legacy of insulting Ambedkar.

Nehru ignored the Kaka Kalelkar Commission’s report on BCs without even examining it. During Indira Gandhi’s regime, the Mandal Commission report was also overlooked. While VP Singh implemented the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, Rajiv Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, blocked reservations and refused to allow caste-based reservations. Nehru, Rajiv, and Rahul Gandhi have consistently disregarded the rights granted by Ambedkar to BCs, SCs, and STs. Nehru even wrote letters to Chief Ministers at that time demanding the abolition of caste-based reservations. Currently, Rahul Gandhi feigns concern for the BCs.

“Under Narendra Modi’s leadership, the government assisted the poor and marginalised with schemes like Standup India and Mudra loans. The credit for electing a Dalit, an Adivasi woman, and a member of a minority like Abdul Kalam goes to the BJP. The Modi government is committed to serving all sections of society with equity. The Congress party has consistently undermined Ambedkar’s aspirations. It is essential for the public to be made aware of these facts,” he added.