Rahul Gandhi in Jharkhand: “The Day Caste Census Happens, the Face of the Country Will Change”

Godda: In a speech at a public rally in Mehrma, Godda district, Jharkhand, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said that the day caste-based census takes place in India, the country’s face will change. He emphasized that the true strength of Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, and the poor will be revealed, and a new era of politics will begin as a result.

Key Points from Rahul Gandhi’s Speech:

1. Caste-Based Census:
Rahul Gandhi asserted that while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) might reject the demand for a caste census, Congress will ensure that a proposal for it is passed in the Lok Sabha. He claimed that once the actual number of Dalits, Adivasis, and backward classes is determined, the 50% reservation limit will be broken in states like Jharkhand and even in Delhi.

2. Reservation in Jharkhand:
Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of reducing the reservation for backward classes in Jharkhand from 27% to 14%. He vowed that if Congress comes to power, the reservation for Scheduled Tribes (ST) would be raised from 26% to 28%, for Scheduled Castes (SC) from 10% to 12%, and for backward classes from 14% to 27%.

3. Ideological Battle Against BJP-RSS:
He framed the ongoing elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra as an ideological battle, where on one side, BJP and RSS are trying to undermine the Constitution of India crafted by Dr. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi, while on the other side, Congress and the INDIA alliance are fighting to preserve it.

4. Targeting PM Modi:
Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of making statements about the “empty pages” of the red book (referring to his own book of wisdom), claiming that Modi made those comments because he had never read it. Gandhi suggested that if Modi had read the book, the country wouldn’t be facing the current rise in hatred and violence.

5. Lack of Representation for Adivasis and Backwards in Bureaucracy:
He highlighted the gross underrepresentation of Adivasis and backward classes in India’s top bureaucracy. According to him, only one Adivasi out of 90 officials decides how the money will be distributed, even though Adivasis make up 8% of the population. Similarly, backward classes, who constitute at least 50% of the population, only have three officers making decisions.

6. Support for Jharkhand’s Tribal Leadership:
Rahul Gandhi acknowledged that the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, belongs to the tribal community and said that he had been jailed by BJP and RSS forces. He urged the people to remember this when voting.

7. Congress Announcements for Jharkhand Elections:
Gandhi outlined key promises Congress would make in Jharkhand, including:
– A direct monthly payment of ₹2,500 into women’s bank accounts.
– Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy to be raised to ₹3,200 after elections.
– A health insurance scheme for the poor covering up to ₹15 lakh, ensuring that the poor will not have to pay for their medical treatments.
– An emphasis on giving farmers the respect they deserve and ensuring they have access to opportunities.
– Congress’s intention to provide 10 lakh jobs in the next five years if they form the government in Jharkhand.

8. Congress’s Vision for India:
Rahul Gandhi reiterated that Congress wants the country to belong to everyone, not just the billionaires. He criticized policies like GST, which he claimed benefited only the wealthy, and the demonetization, which, he said, destroyed small businesses.

Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Jharkhand was aimed at galvanizing support for the Congress party by focusing on issues of social justice, caste-based reservations, and economic empowerment for the marginalized. His remarks painted the elections as a contest between the ideology of Congress and the BJP’s vision for India, emphasizing a government for the people, not the rich.