In his first poll rally in Maharashtra, Rahul Gandhi pitches for caste census

“The most important thing for the future of India is caste census. Because it will expose the betrayal and lies thrown at you (backward classes). The prime minister says this is a government of OBCs, poor…. No, it is not of OBCs, Dalits, tribals or poor from general caste. This (government) is of select 22-25 people. It will be our government that will deliver the promises made to you,” said Rahul, in his first election campaign rally in Maharashtra, at Bhandara district in east Vidarbha, which will go to polls on April 19, along with four other seats. All five candidates of the Congress were present at the rally, which was also attended by ally NCP-SP state president Jayant Patil, state Congress chief Nana Patole, legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat and LoP Vijay Wadettiwar.

“The television will not show you our revolutionary promises. They will talk about religion for 24 hours. But when our tribal President was not allowed at the inauguration of Ram temple, not a single word was said in the media. Everybody from Adani, Ambani, Bollywood stars, cricket players were there. But none from backward classes, Dalits or tribals were there,” he said.

“Modi says he is an OBC. Ok…show us what have you done for OBCs? For farmers? For small traders? Backward classes have no representation in India in proportion to their population,” said Rahul, detailing examples of media, corporates and government teams which draft budgets.

“The solution is caste census. This is our first promise. Caste census, economic survey to check distribution of wealth. It will show who has how much representation,” he said, adding that the party manifesto though has the Congress symbol on it, it was a people’s manifesto as it is made after consulting people and not in closed room.

Following the Maratha agitation in Maharashtra which sought Kunbi (OBC) status for community members, a demand for caste census has been raised from all quarters. The state government has, however, not moved on the issue. With Rahul strongly pitching for it, the party is set to make it a poll issue across the state.

Focusing on the promises made in the manifesto, Rahul spoke on the party’s promise of depositing Rs one lakh per year in the account of one woman from each BPL family. “We will give the money Modi has given to industrialists to India’s women,” he said.

He also spoke on extending paid apprenticeship to educated youth, filling 30 lakh government vacancies, law for minimum support price for farm goods, and a special law against leak of exam papers. “Agniveer scheme will be stopped the day our government assumes power. It has created two types of martyrs where one’s family gets benefits while other does not. We will not let that happen. The scheme was not sought by the Army but it is the Prime Minister’s Office which pushed it,” he said.

Attacking Modi, the Congress leader said the PM is running the government for Adani (industrialist Gautam Adani). “Adani’s share price increases when Modi comes to power,” he said.