Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Giriraj Singh on Sunday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remark questioning lack of representation from the marginalised communities in the Miss India beauty pageant.

Union Minister Rijiju, in a post on X, said, “Now, he wants reservations in Miss India competitions, films, sports! It is not only an issue of 'Bal Budhi' (childish mentality), but the people who cheer him are equally responsible too!”

He further said that “while childish behaviour might be entertaining, it should not come at the expense of ridiculing or undermining the backward communities through divisive tactics”.

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.

Criticising Rahul, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that a caste census is unavoidable and will be carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at right time. The Union Minister questioned why Rahul Gandhi demands a national caste census when the Congress Government is yet to release the results of the caste census conducted in their states. “Rahul Gandhi stays away from ground reality and does politics of perception. Caste census has been done in Karnataka, yet Congress government there has not declared it. When it's time for the country, PM Modi will get it done,” Singh said.