In U.P., Modi plays up caste

In U.P., Modi plays up caste

- Modi accused Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra of caste bias and insulting lower castes.

- Interpreting Ms. Vadra’s comment on Monday that the BJP leader was indulging in “low-level politics” as a reference to his lower caste origin, Mr. Modi said in Domariyaganj: “You can insult Modi as much as you like, you can hang him. But do not insult my fellow lower-caste Indians.”

- Countering Mr. Modi’s heightened pitch for the backward and Dalit votes in the State, where caste identity is crucial in voting, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati challenged the BJP leader to disclose his caste and reveal what he had done for the welfare of these sections.

- She said it was wrong to interpret Ms. Vadra’s statement as a reference to his caste.

- While the BJP demanded an apology from Ms. Vadra, the Congress accused Mr. Modi of deliberately misinterpreting facts and called him a “spinmaster.”