Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday (February 5) vowed to conduct a nationwide caste census and to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation if the Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A bloc comes to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls slated this year. He also alleged that the BJP tried to topple the JMM-Congress-RJD government in Jharkhand as the chief minister was a tribal. Rahul Gandhi was addressing a public rally in Ranchi during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
"Want to congratulate all alliance MLAs, (Champai) Soren ji as they stopped the BJP-RSS conspiracy and protected the government of the poor," Gandhi said at a rally at the Shaheed Maidan.
The Congress leader claimed that Dalits, tribals, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) were made bonded labourers and their participation was lacking in big companies, hospitals, schools, colleges and courts.
"This is the biggest question before India. Our first step would be to get a caste census in the country," Rahul Gandhi said.
Rahul vows to "throw out" 50 per cent cap on the reservation
Highlighting that over 50 per cent reservation is not permissible under the current arrangement, the Congress leader promised that the I.N.D.I.A bloc’s government would “throw out” the 50 per cent cap on the reservation.
"There will be no reduction in the reservation of Dalits and Adivasis. I am giving you a guarantee that the backward sections of society will get their rights. This is the biggest issue - social and economic injustice," he said.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to say that he is an OBC but when the demand for a caste census was made, he stated that there are only two castes -- the rich and the poor.
"When the time came to give rights to OBCs, Dalits, tribals, Modi ji says there are no castes, and when it is time to get votes, he says he is an OBC," he claimed.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP tried to topple the Jharkhand government as it cannot accept a tribal CM.
"The Congress and the JMM stood against them together and the government was saved. They do this in all opposition-ruled states through probe agencies and money power. They are attacking democracy and the Constitution and want to suppress the voice of the people. The INDIA coalition will not let the voice of democracy be suppressed," the Congress leader said.
(With PTI inputs)
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