Addressing the ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, Rahul Gandhi reiterated his demand for a pan-India caste-based census, claiming that 90 percent of the nation’s population are sitting out of the system.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Saturday made a fresh pitch for the Opposition INDIA bloc’s demand for a nationwide caste census, asserting that there have been no Miss India winners from the Dalit, Tribal or OBC communities.
“I checked the list of Miss India to see if there would be any Dalit or tribal woman in it, but there was no women from Dalit, tribal or OBC. Still, the media talks about dance, music, cricket, Bollywood but does not talk about farmers and labourers,” the Rae Bareli MP said.
#WATCH | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, “…I checked the list of Miss India to see if there would be any Dalit or tribal woman in it, but there was no women from Dalit, tribal or OBC. Still the media talks about dance, music, cricket,… pic.twitter.com/D2mKNs4jzt
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2024
90 percent sitting out of system
Addressing the ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, Rahul Gandhi reiterated his demand for a pan-India caste-based census, claiming that 90 percent of the nation’s population are sitting out of the system and the step should be taken in their interest.
“90 per cent people are sitting out of the system. They have skill, knowledge but no connections (with the system). That is why we have raised the demand for a caste census,” Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha, said, adding that the caste census is the foundation and a tool for policy making for the Congress.
The Gandhi scion said that there is a need to ascertain the numbers of various sections of the society before steps are taken to ensure their participation in the country’s democratic process and progress.
“For the Congress, the caste census is the foundation of policy making. It is a tool for policy making. We cannot make policies in the reality of India without a caste census. Just like our Constitution, which is a guide in a way and it is being attacked every day, a caste census, a socio-economic survey, an institutional survey will be our second guide,” Rahul Gandhi said.
“We want the data. How many Dalits, OBC (Other Backward Classes), tribals, women, minorities, general caste people are there. We are trying to protect the Constitution through this demand for a caste census,” he added.
Constitution meant for all
The Congress leader stressed that the Constitution is not only for the 10 percent of the country’s population, but for all its citizens.
“The Constitution is protected by poor people, labourers, tribals and not (industrialist Gautam) Adani. If 90 percent people do not have participatory rights, the Constitution cannot be protected. Our aim is to protect the Constitution. This (the Constitution) is a protective shield for the poor, farmers and labourers. Without it, the situation would be as it used to be earlier in the times of kings and emperors, who did whatever they wanted,” he said.
‘PM trying to replicate erstwhile kings’
Rahul Gandhi also launched a scathing attack on his arch nemesis Narendra Modi, accusing the Prime Minister of trying to replicate the mannerisms and ways of erstwhile kings and emperors.
“You (Modi) consider yourself non-biological. You consider yourself connected with the god. Right after the (Lok Sabha) election, you had to bow down before the Constitution. This was not done by us but by people,” he said.
BJP is my ‘guru’
Hitting out at PM Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gandhi said ever since he joined politics in 2004, he has been “bothered and disturbed” by the leaders of the saffron party.
“I consider them (BJP leaders) as my guru, those who taught me what not to do. This is an ideological fight (with the BJP) and it will continue,” he added.
“Unlike Prime Minister Modi, I do my work considering it as my responsibility and not for others to remember me. It is Narendra Modi’s way of doing his work so that he is remembered. My thinking is that 90 percent of the country’s power is utilised in making it,” the Congress leader said.
(With PTI inputs)