HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has ignited a political debate by alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not a natural Backward Class (BC) member but a “converted BC.” Speaking at Gandhi Bhavan on Friday, Revanth Reddy claimed that until 2002, Modi belonged to an upper caste and that he added his community to the BC list only after becoming the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Revanth Reddy’s remarks have intensified discussions about Modi’s caste background, triggering a surge in online searches on the subject. Historically, Modi hails from the ‘Teli’ community, traditionally engaged in trading edible oils. In October 1999, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led central government included several subgroups, such as ‘Ghanchi (Muslim), Teli, Modh Ghanchi, Teli-Sahu, Teli-Rathod, and Teli-Rathore’, in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. Subsequently, on April 4, 2000, the Gujarat government officially incorporated these communities into the state’s BC list.
The controversy over Modi’s caste identity is not new. Political leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mayawati, have previously questioned his OBC status. However, Revanth Reddy’s recent statement has reignited the debate, prompting counterattacks from BJP leaders. In response, BJP members have questioned the caste and religious identities of Congress leaders, escalating the political clash.
