"My Duty To Take Everyone Along": PM To Samajwadi Party MP On OBC Remark

Responding to Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav's accusation that the Prime Minister is from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) but does not keep the interests of OBCs in mind, PM Narendra Modi said on Thursday that he believes in taking everyone along. 

Yadav made the accusation during the discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, and the Prime Minister took a jab at him, saying, "I am grateful that you have identified me. I am very grateful to you... Akhilesh ji (Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav) is my friend and he helps me out sometimes. It is true that I belong to the OBC community, but it is my duty to take everyone along. The Constitution also says the same thing, and the Constitution is paramount for me."

"It is the Constitution's strength that someone like me, from a backward caste, has been entrusted with such a big duty by the country. I am indebted to the people of the country and the framers of the Constitution because of whom I am here," he asserted. 

Speaking earlier in the day, Dharmendra Yadav said the party opposes the Women's Reservation Bill, Delimitation Bill and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, on constitutional grounds. He alleged that the measures, which will grant 33% reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies and increase the seats in the Lok Sabha to 850, attempt to "distort" the Constitution by separating the delimitation exercise from the Census process.

Yadav said the Samajwadi Party would not support the Women's Reservation Bill unless it includes provisions for OBC and Muslim women. He also urged the government to withdraw the proposed bills and implement the law passed in 2023.

Akhilesh Yadav also argued that the Census should be held before the delimitation is done.

"They are delaying the Census because, when it happens, we will ask for the caste-based census, and then the reservation issue will be raised. Hence, you want to deceive us," Yadav added.

Hitting back, Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at the Samajwadi Party. 

"The Census process has already started across the country and, after that, we will also conduct a caste-based census. Currently, the House Listing is underway; homes don't belong to a certain caste. If SP has its way, it will designate a caste to homes also. I want to assure the House that the Census is going to happen with the caste census as well," he said.