Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reiterated his demand for a nationwide caste census, saying that 90% people of the country are sitting out of the system and the step should be taken in their interest. Addressing the “Samvidhan Samman Sammelan” in Prayagraj, Gandhi said, “90% 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.” The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said, “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.” He added: “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.” “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. “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. During the event, Gandhi also alleged that there was no woman belonging to the Dalit, Tribal or OBC communities, who made the cut for Miss India beauty pageant.
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I checked the list of Miss India to see if there would be any Dalit or tribal woman in it, but there were no women from Dalit, tribal or OBC. Still the media talks about dance, music, cricket, Bollywood but does not talk about farmers and labourers.” “After 70 years, we want to know how much impact the Constitution of India’s vision has actually had over the country,” he said.
In his attack on the BJP, Gandhi said: “I have been in politics since 2004 and the BJP has been like a guru for me as it has taught me what not to do.” “Fighting for the rights of the 90% is my mission and there is no turning back even if I have to suffer political loss. The Constitution could only be saved through caste census because it is not made by 10 per cent but by 100 per cent,” he said.
“If anyone is thinking that caste census could be stopped then he is dreaming as the people of the country have decided for it. The prime minister should accept the order of the people and should implement it otherwise the next PM will surely do it,” Rahul Gandhi said. The other panelists included KK Roy, Sadaf Jafar, Chanda Yadav, Asrar Niazi, Prof Vikram Kumar, Prof Pritam Singh, Ajay Saroj, Prof Anis Ansari, Meena Kotwal and Azra Mobeen.
Congress leader Subhashini Sharad Yadav conducted the programme.
