25-09-2023 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has announced that if the party comes to power, it will conduct a comprehensive “caste census.” According to Gandhi, such a census is essential to ensure the participation of marginalized communities, including OBCs (Other Backward Classes), Dalits, tribals, and women in the country’s socio-economic and political landscape. He questioned the current government’s reluctance to release the details of a previous caste census conducted during Congress’s tenure and implied that there may be apprehension regarding the exercise. Gandhi also criticized the government’s allocation of resources and contracts, highlighting discrepancies in benefits for different segments of society. He emphasized that conducting a caste census is a crucial step towards equitable representation.
Addressing the state government’s ‘Awas Nyay Sammelan’ in Bilaspur, Rahul Gandhi waved a remote control to symbolize the difference in outcomes when the Congress and BJP are in power. He claimed that the Congress had conducted a comprehensive caste census during its time in power, which had data on the population of every caste in the country. He accused the current government of withholding this information and argued that a caste census is necessary to ensure the participation of marginalized communities. Gandhi also pointed out the underrepresentation of OBCs in the bureaucracy and questioned whether only 5% of the country’s population belonged to this category. He stressed that conducting a caste census is essential to address these disparities and questioned why the government was hesitant to undertake this exercise.
During the event, Rahul Gandhi launched the Chhattisgarh government’s ‘Gramin Awas Nyay Yojna (GANY),’ which aims to provide financial assistance to homeless and economically disadvantaged families in rural areas. Gandhi used a remote control as a symbolic tool to draw attention to the differences in government policies. He claimed that when the Congress is in power, initiatives like the Nyay Scheme benefit farmers and education, while criticizing the BJP for allegedly privatizing public assets and resources.
Gandhi also brought up his own disqualification as a Lok Sabha member and attributed it to his questions about Prime Minister Modi’s connections with industrialist Gautam Adani. He was later reinstated as a member of the Lower House after his conviction was stayed by the Supreme Court.