Arun Jaitley comes to Modi's defence, says PM never indulged in caste politics

Arun Jaitley added that PM Modi is inspired by nationalism and has only done developmental politics.

NEW DELHI: Hitting out at the opposition for claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had used his caste in order to gain political advantage in the ongoing Lok Sabha poll,  Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday stressed that the prime minister has never indulged in caste politics. Jaitley added that PM Modi is inspired by nationalism and has only done developmental politics.

“How is the Prime Minister’s caste relevant? He has never done caste politics. He has only done developmental politics. He is inspired by nationalism,” Jaitley wrote in a tweet.

How is the Prime Minister’s caste relevant? He has never done caste politics. He has only done developmental politics. He is inspired by nationalism. (1/2) — Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) April 28, 2019

The senior BJP leader posted the tweet just a day after BSP supremo Mayawati said at a press conference that PM Modi is using his caste to woo the voters. She also accused the PM of claiming that he belongs to 'most backward caste'.

“Narendra Modi is from the upper caste, but during his time as chief minister of Gujarat, he got his community enlisted under the OBC category for political gains,” she had said.

Jaitley slammed the opposition and remarked that PM Modi has never played the caste card during his political career. He also lashed out the opposition for amassing wealth and doing nothing for the welfare of downtrodden people of the country.

“Those who are deceiving the poor in the name of caste will not succeed. They have only amassed wealth in the name of caste politics,” he wrote in another tweet.

Those who are deceiving the poor in the name of caste will not succeed. They have only amassed wealth in the name of caste politics. The Prime Minister’s assets are not even 0.01% when compared to the First Family of the BSP or the RJD. (2/2)

— Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) April 28, 2019

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday said that her party has never made any remarks on the caste of prime minister. "Even today, I do not know his (PM Modi's) caste. The Opposition and the Congress leaders are only raising issues related to development. We have never made any personal remarks against him," Priyanka said.

Earlier on Sunday, Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram had also hit out at PM Modi for saying that he never used his caste in politics. Chidambaram posted a series of tweets claiming that during 2014 Lok Sabha poll PM Modi had repeatedly claimed that he is from a backward caste.