Kiren Rijiju's 'Bal Buddhi' Jibe At Rahul Gandhi Over 'No SC/ST In Miss India' Remark

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for suggesting reservations in Miss India competitions and accused him of stoking divisions with his remarks on a caste census.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi 'bal buddhi (juvenile)' over his remarks about the lack of representation of women from Dalit, Tribal, or Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities in the “Miss India pageant list". Taking to X, the Union Minister also accused the Congress leader of stoking divisions in the country with his renewed remarks regarding the nationwide caste census.

"Now, he wants reservations at Miss India competitions, films, and sports! It is not only an issue of "Bal Budhi", but people who cheer him are - equally responsible too!" Rijiu wrote on X taking a swipe at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. 

"Childish wit may be good for entertainment but don't make fun of backward communities in your divisive tactics," he said in Hindi.

In another post, Rijiju noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that the Supreme Court won't be allowed to alter reservations in  IAS, IPS, IFS, and all top services recruitment. "But he can't see 1st Tribal President, OBC PM, Record Numbers of SC/ST Cabinet Ministers," the BJP leader said. 

"His grandfather divided India to become Prime Minister, but we will not allow another partition of India to make this divisive man the Prime Minister," Rijiju added.

The BJP Minister's criticism came in response to Gandhi's remarks during a 'Samvidhan Samman Sammelan' held in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Saturday to demand a caste census. The Raebareli MP said he checked the list of former Miss India but found no Dalit, tribal, or OBC among the winners. The former Congress chief said that without the participation of 90 per cent of its people, the country cannot operate. 

"I have checked the list of Miss India, which did not have any Dalit, Adivasi (tribal) or OBC women. Some will talk about cricket or Bollywood. No one will show the cobbler or plumber. Even top anchors in the media are not from the 90 per cent...They will say Modiji embraced someone and we have become a superpower. How have we become a superpower when 90 per cent of people have no participation," he asked, attacking the mainstream media of the country. 

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also alleged that the BJP might say that he was trying to divide the country with his demand for a caste census. "We want to know how many in institutions, corporates, Bollywood, and Miss India are from the 90 per cent. I am only saying that 90 per cent did not have 'bhagidari'  and this should be checked," he said.