'By what qualification has he become LoP?' BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad slams Rahul Gandhi on his merit remark

BJP member of Parliament Ravi Shankar Prasad has accused Lok Sabha's Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of "disregarding" the rules of the merit system and questioned the qualification of the Congress MP to be appointed as LoP.

Prasad's criticism come in the wake of Rahul Gandhi's "merit a flawed concept" remark in a in a discussion with professor Sukhadeo Thorat, a member of the Telangana caste survey panel. The Congress leader discussed the need for a caste census in the interview with Professor Thorat, a well-known educationist, economist, and expert on Dalit issues.

Addressing a press conference, Prasad said, "Rahul Gandhi has again made a wise statement. He has said that there is no such thing as a merit system in this country... My first question to Rahul Gandhi is, by what qualification has he become the leader of the opposition?... Where the rules of the merit system have been disregarded, it has been in his appointment."

Taking a jibe at the LoP, Prasad said, "Rahul Gandhi does not do his homework. His tutor should be changed who will give him the correct information about India."

In his interview with Professor Thorat, Rahul Gandhi criticised India's merit system, calling it "completely flawed" and an "upper-class narrative." The Congress leader had shared the video on the interview on his X post.

"There is a completely flawed concept of merit where I confuse my social position with my capability. For anybody to say that our education system or our bureaucratic entry systems are fair to Dalits, OBCs (Other Backward Castes), and tribals - that's just a complete fallacy," Rahul Gandhi said.

"The entire narrative is an upper caste narrative. This notion of merit is, actually, itself an unfair idea," Rahul Gandhi added.

In a post on X Rahul Gandhi sharing the interview said that the fight of backward classes that began 98 years ago still continues.

"The fight for share that began 98 years ago continues. On 20 March 1927, Babasaheb Ambedkar directly challenged caste discrimination through the Mahad Satyagraha. This was not just a fight for the right to water, but also for equality and respect."