Mumbai, May 1 -- Maharashtra BJP President and state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday took a sharp dig at Rahul Gandhi over his demand for a timeline for the caste census, asserting that Congress leader has "no rights" to make such demands and should instead openly felicitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Union Cabinet's decision to include caste enumeration in the next national census.

"Rahul Gandhi doesn't have any rights. Rahul Gandhi should call for a Congress gathering and felicitate PM Modi openly... We expect him and Sharad Pawar to pass resolutions in their respective parties congratulating PM Modi on this decision," Bawankule said while speaking to reporters in Mumbai.

Bawankule's remarks come after ...