PM Modi emphasis priority for poor regardless of caste or class amid caste census calls

RAIPUR: Amid calls for a caste census and assertions that a higher population equates to more rights, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Monday that the poor have the first right to the country's resources, regardless of their caste or class."Our government at the center is concerned about the poor and is committed to their welfare, regardless of the class or caste they belong to. Serving the poor is our government's top priority," he said while addressing a BJP public meeting in Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of tribal Bastar, in poll-bound Chhattisgarh.Prime Minister Modi's statement is significant, coming a day after Bihar released its caste census. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted on the social media platform X, stating, "The Bihar caste census has revealed that OBC + SC + ST constitute 84% of the population. Out of the 90 secretaries in the central government, only three are OBC, managing a mere 5% of the budget for India. Therefore, it is essential to know the caste-based figures of India. Our principle is that the larger the population, the greater the right."