Paswan defends PM, says opposition's caste jibe on Modi sign of desperation

Defending Narendra Modi's "backward" caste credentials, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday lashed out at opposition parties for their attacks on the Prime Minister over his caste.

Earlier this month, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav rebuffed Modi's assertion of belonging to an "ati pichhada" (most backward) caste and called him a "fake OBC".

BSP chief Mayawati has also alleged that Modi included his caste in the backward category during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister to derive electoral profit.

For the Congress, its general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had said that while her party did not indulge in caste politics, she didn't know as to which caste prime minister belongs to.

"Who is backward from his birth? Does an infant born out a mother's womb has a caste? The caste is a reality, but backward and forward is a constitutional construct. Now Paswan in Bihar is a scheduled caste but not so in Delhi. Or Yadavs, they maybe backward...Why are they screaming?" the Dalit leader told reporters.

"These comments are a sign of desperation and clearly shows they have already lost the election."