Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressing a meeting during ‘Karyakarta Sammelan’, Patna, Saturday, January 18, 2025 | Photo Credit: PTI
Alleging that the census conducted by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar was an exercise in deceiving the people, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (January 18, 2025) said his party will stick to its demand for a caste-based census as the program is important. planning development work in the country.
Mr. Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, also accused the BJP and the RSS of “underestimating the Constitution and neglecting the marginalized communities” in the country.
He also alleged that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s ‘true freedom’ speech was against the country’s Constitution.
Addressing the ‘Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan’ at Bapu Sabhagar here, Mr. Gandhi said, “Dalits, minorities and socially marginalized people comprise 90 percent of the population of this country but they are not part of the system…. This is the reason why we want a caste-based census.”
He also said, “I have told the leaders in Parliament, in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, that our party will get this at any cost.”
Mr. Gandhi said that the caste-wise census across the country is “important to find out how much the OBCs, Dalits and workers are participating in office management and other fields”.
“The purpose of caste census is not only to know about the census of different castes but also their participation in the wealth of the country… We do not want a caste survey like the Bihar government did. The work done by the Bihar government. What it did was to deceive the people,” said the Congress leader.
He also said that the 50% reservation ratio for people belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs is “not enough”.
“We will increase the standard to benefit the majority of the people. A few selected organizations, including the RSS and its people, the industrial houses are running the country,” he said.
The country’s Constitution is “not just a book” but “talks about the atrocities and hardships faced by Dalits,” he said.
Referring to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s ‘true independence’ speech, Mr. Gandhi said, “His talk about the true independence of India after the consecration of the Ram temple is against the Constitution. The BJP and the RSS are undermining the Constitution and ignoring the marginalized communities.”
He also said that the political battle is between “those who want to save the Constitution and those who spread hatred”.
Published – January 18, 2025 05:13 pm IST