Rahul Gandhi Promises Caste-Based Census and Criticizes BJP During Madhya Pradesh Address
Shajapur- Sep 30- 2023 : Rahul Gandhi, speaking at a public gathering during Congress’s Jan Aakrosh Yatra in Shajapur, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday, pledged that if Congress secures power at the national level, they will immediately initiate a caste-based census to determine the precise number of Other Backward Class (OBC) citizens in India. Gandhi stressed the importance of ensuring the participation of all segments of society.
“We want the participation of all. This is India of all, not of a few industrialists. Right after our government comes to power, we will conduct a caste census and will inform everybody how many are OBC, SC, ST, and general,” said Gandhi, while criticizing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government for their alleged focus on diverting attention, spreading hatred, and inciting violence.
Gandhi’s address took place in Kalapipal during Congress’s Jan Aakrosh Yatra in Shajapur, with state assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh scheduled for November.
In his inaugural rally in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi targeted both the BJP-led state government and the central government, emphasizing the importance of conducting a caste census in India, a promise made by the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Caste census is one of the most important issues in India. How many OBCs are there? What should be their participation? When I raised the question of caste census, the people of BJP started trembling. Narendra Modi starts running away. Amit Shah (Union home minister) will do Hindu-Muslim. We will do this first thing when the Congress government comes to power,” Rahul Gandhi asserted.
He also highlighted the underrepresentation of OBC officers in top government positions, stating, “India is run by 90 officers (cabinet secretary and secretary to the Government of India). They decide where the money will go. But, among these, only three officers are from OBC. OBC officers have only 5% participation in the entire budget of India of ₹4,500,000 crore, whereas the OBC population in India is 50%.”
Rahul Gandhi further raised concerns about the influence of Adani and advocated for women’s reservation. He criticized the government for prioritizing organizations and a few major industrialists over the welfare of the people.
Gandhi’s speech also addressed women’s reservation, advocating for its importance while expressing reservations about certain aspects of the proposed bill that could delay its implementation.
Additionally, he described Madhya Pradesh as an “epicenter of corruption” under BJP rule, citing various instances of alleged corruption, including the Vyapam scam.
Praising the governance in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh, Gandhi claimed that the Congress had fulfilled its promises in these states and criticized the BJP for not delivering on its commitments in Madhya Pradesh.
Lastly, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and central government officials were responsible for framing the country’s laws, rather than elected representatives of the BJP, and suggested that these entities were diverting attention from critical issues.
He framed the political landscape as a battle between two ideologies, with Congress representing one side and RSS and BJP the other, emphasizing the contrast between values of hatred, violence, and ego versus love, respect, and brotherhood.
Gandhi concluded by suggesting that the BJP’s approach had led to public dissatisfaction, as evidenced by the Janakrosh (public anger) among the people.
