FACT-CHECK: Rahul Gandhi's PM Modi 'Not Born In OBC' Remark. Here's The Truth

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi’s recent remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's caste is based on wrong facts. RaGa, who is known for his faux passes, bloopers and bloops claimed that PM Modi was not born into an Other Backward Class (OBC) family, and he is ‘misleading’ people by identifying himself as an OBC. “Modi ji has been misleading the people by saying that he is an OBC. He was born in a family of the ‘Ghanchi’ caste, which was included in the OBC list during the BJP government's tenure in Gujarat in 2000. He changed his caste to OBC after becoming the CM of Gujarat. Therefore, Modi ji is not an OBC by birth,” the Congress MP made the remarks while making a brief speech during his Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra. 

Gandhi had earlier in his address claimed that Modi belonged to the ‘Teli’ caste, but later clarified he meant the ‘Ghanchi’ caste. When Republic TV accessed the Indian Government's 1999 notification, it was mentioned that Narendra Modi's caste was indeed listed as Other Backward Class (OBC). The notification provides concrete evidence of Modi's caste classification as OBC by the then Congress government.  

Rahul Gandhi Misfires: A Look At Facts

The 'Modh Ghanchi' caste, along with its particular sub-caste, is included in the Gujarat Government's list (25-B) of 146 castes of Socially Educationally Backward Class and Other Backward Class (OBC) list. This inclusion dates back to a notification released by the Gujarat Government on July 25, 1994, during the tenure of the Congress Government led by Chhabildas Mehta. Moreover, the Mandal Commission, after conducting a survey in Gujarat, had initially prepared a list of OBCs under index 91(A), which also included the Modh-Ghanchi caste.

The Indian Government's list of 105 OBC castes for Gujarat also incorporates the 'Modh-Ghanchi' caste. This encompassing was prepared by a Government of India notification dated April 4, 2000. During the issuance of both notifications - by the Gujarat Government in 1994 and by the Government of India in 2000 - Narendra Modi was not in any position of power nor was he holding any executive office at that time. Thus, any attribution or implication regarding Modi's involvement in these decisions is false.

The Gujarat Government's notification in 1999, which listed Narendra Modi's caste as Other Backward Class (OBC), was issued on October 27, 1999, a full two years before he assumed the role of Chief Minister of Gujarat. This notification is significant as it predates Modi's tenure as Chief Minister, indicating that his caste classification as OBC was established before his assuming executive office. 

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat and current Rajya Sabha member Narhari Amin also refuted Rahul Gandhi’s claim, saying,"Govt of Gujarat, led by the Congress, notified Modi-Ghanchi as OBC in July 1994. Central Govt, following on the recommendations of GoG, notified it as OBC on Oct 27, 1999, a full 2 years before PM Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat. OBC status first came into effect in India in 1992 after the Supreme Court in the Indira Sawhney judgement that year upheld the government order issued in 1990 that caste was an acceptable indicator of backwardness. Hence, no caste could be included in the OBC category before the year 1992."   

• RAHUL GANDHI's CLAIM: Prime Minister Modi was not OBC by birth, he was born into a general caste.
• FACT: Narendra Modi got his caste notified as an OBC after he became the Chief minister of Gujarat. Rahul Gandhi's comment is false and far from the truth. 

What Did Rahul Gandhi Say?

“Your Prime Minister was not born OBC and he was born in general caste. He was born in Teli caste in Gujarat. The Bharatiya Janata Party government had included his caste in the OBC category in 2000. He keeps lying everywhere that he was born OBC,” said Gandhi addressing a public meeting during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the western Odisha town of Jharsuguda.

“Do you know how do I know that he was not born OBC? I don’t require a birth certificate to ascertain the fact. He does not embrace any OBC person. He does not hold the hands of farmers and labourers. He only holds the hand of Adaniji,” he said.

“In his lifetime, he (PM Modi) will not let conduct the caste census because the PM is lying to the country that he was born OBC. The truth is that he was born general caste. Take it in writing,” the Congress leader said.