Rahul Gandhi promises caste census, vows to remove 50% reservation cap

Gumla: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday pledged to conduct a nationwide caste census and eliminate the 50% reservation cap if voted to office and claimed that currently, the country is run by a few persons and not by its people. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the conflict-torn state of Manipur even after nearly two years of its “burning”. “His non-visit to Manipur reflects BJP’s ideological stance,” Gandhi said.

Addressing an election rally at Simdega on Friday, Gandhi said, “The country should be run by 90% of its people not by three or four individuals like Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Adani and Ambani.” While trying to strike a chord with the tribals, he said, “BJP calls you vanvasi, suggesting that you have forest dwellers and have no rights in the country, but we call you ‘Adivasi’ because you are the original inhabitants of this land and by virtue of this, you have the first right to its resources.”

Gandhi emphasised that a caste census would reveal the true representation of the Adivasis, Dalits and OBCs in the govt institutions and their share in the nation’s wealth.

The Congress leader accused Prime Minister Modi of waiving loans worth Rs 16 lakh crores for 25 individuals, noting that none of these people were from the Adivasi, Dalit or OBC communities. He questioned the double standards in the loan waivers, saying he gets criticised for requesting loan waivers for farmers.

Speaking about the reservation policies, Gandhi announced that the INDIA bloc would increase reservation quotas in Jharkhand — ST reservation from 26% to 28%, SC from 10% to 12%, and OBC from 14% to 27%. Gandhi also emphasized the alliance’s commitment to removing the current 50% reservation ceiling. He also criticized the BJP-RSS ideology and said the upcoming political contest “is a battle between forces protecting and destroying the Constitution”. The Congress leader outlined the ongoing struggle for tribal rights, drawing parallels with Birsa Munda’s fight against the British colonizers. “We are fighting for your rights over jal, jungle, and zameen (water, forest, and land) as BJP attempts to seize these resources,” he said.

During the rally, Gandhi also presented the Jharkhand INDIA bloc’s manifesto, highlighting the seven key guarantees for the state’s development and welfare.

He also emphasized Congress’s commitment to social justice and equal representation, positioning the upcoming election as a crucial moment for protecting tribal rights and ensuring equitable distribution of resources across all communities.

Courtesy : TOI

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