Unfazed by UP Chief Minister Mayawati's criticism, Rahul Gandhi today said he will continue with his visits to dalit homes telling her if she doesn't like it "my apologies to her".
On a visit to Kerala to strengthen the party's youth wings, Gandhi expressed confidence that Congress will come to power in UP but did not want to hazard a guess on when it will happen.
"I can guarantee that this is going to happen and people are going to be proud of the Congress government in the state," he said.
Chiding Mayawati for ridiculing his visits to Dalit households as a political stunt, Gandhi said, "If she doesn't like it, my apologies to her".
The Congress general secretary brushed aside criticism that his visits to dalit households were aimed at wooing them for political purposes, saying he doesn't subscribe to the caste system and his aim was to reach out to the poor people.
"I personally don't believe in the caste system...I go to a human being's house and not a dalit's house," he told reporters here underlining that the poor he visits can belong to upper castes, minority, dalits or other deprived segments.
{{/usCountry}}"I personally don't believe in the caste system...I go to a human being's house and not a dalit's house," he told reporters here underlining that the poor he visits can belong to upper castes, minority, dalits or other deprived segments.
{{/usCountry}}Gandhi said if he went to a tea vendor, he doesn't ask whether that person is a dalit.