Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 5 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao on Monday slammed the Congress over the caste census and said that they always opposed the issue when they were in power. He said that Congress is now trying to take credit and the people of the country know their policy.

In the recent cabinet meeting, the Union Government gave its nod to caste remuneration, which will be included in the next population census.

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"The Congress always opposed the caste census while in power and is now trying to take credit for it. The people of the country know Congress's policy", he told ANI.

Aru Sao also attacked Ajay Rai over his 'nimbu-mirchi' statement with the Rafale toy plane in hand and said that whenever there are challenges in the country, the Congress party speaks something "anti-national".

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"Whenever there are challenges before the country, Congress always speaks anti-national or makes fun of the country. They cannot see the country developing", he said.

On Monday, a day after he stoked controversy due to his statement on the Rafale fighter jet, Ajay Rai doubled down on his statement and said that country wants to see action being taken against perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack.

"I'm just asking when Rafale will do its job," Rai said. The Uttar Pradesh Congress chief said that while the Congress stands with the government, the government has to make a decision, and when it does not, people will question and criticise it.

Rai had on Sunday criticised the central government for their "big talk and no action" against those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that they purchased Rafale fighter jets which are lying in hangars with "nimbu mirchi" (lemon and chillies) hanging on them.

"It is time to give a reply to the ones who killed our people in Pahalgam...When the Defence Minister went to take delivery of Rafale, he hung lemon-chillies on Rafale. I just wanted to open his eyes and show him that the people of the country want action against terrorism... Strictest action should be taken against the terrorists, and the people giving them support should be finished", Ajay Rai told ANI.

Ajay Rai said a plane like Rafale still stands with lemon and chilli, but the people in power are not doing anything in the name of action. He said that Congress is entirely with the government on the issue of taking action against Pakistan, but the government is not taking any action. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)