Rahul Gandhi on Sunday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publish the 2011 caste census data and apprise the nation of the break-up of OBCs, Dalits and Adivasis and give proportional representation to the oppressed classes in government jobs.
The thrust on the socially marginalised sections and their empowerment through government jobs is being seen as the first sign of a joint Opposition strategy crystallising around the social justice theme.
So far, Nitish Kumar, part of the social justice spearheads from the political school of Karpoori Thakur whose “pupils” include Lalu Prasad and the late Ram Vilas Paswan, has been at the forefront of the campaign for the caste census data. That Nitish had met Rahul last week and Sunday’s full-throated demand by the Congress leader are not being seen as mere coincidence.
If Rahul keeps up the focus on the theme, it will also be seen as a course correction by some critics who feel that the Congress and the Left did not do enough to oppose the economic quotas introduced by the Narendra Modi government and whose income cut-off has alarmed some student groups.
Rahul appears to have chosen with care the launch pad for the social justice theme. On Sunday, he made the demands at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar, where he had made the “Modi surname” remark in 2019 that led to his conviction and disqualification as an MP. The BJP has accused Rahul of insulting OBCs.
Rahul, referring to his conviction for comments deemed defamatory by a Surat court, said the BJP was accusing him of insulting OBCs but fighting shy of giving proportional representation to the marginalised.
Rahul said: “They say I insulted the OBCs. If you are talking about the OBCs, Dalits and Adivasis, the biggest question is what is their share in the population? We know the OBCs, Dalits and Adivasis put together form only 7 per cent of the secretaries of the Government of India.”
Referring to the census conducted by the UPA government in 2011, Rahul said: “Modiji, when you talk about the OBCs, you should at least publish the caste census data. Let the people know how many OBCs, Dalits and Adivasis are there in the country.”
“If you really want to empower everyone and bring them on the path of progress, you should at least understand their population share…. If you won’t do this, then it is an insult to the OBCs,” he added.
He sought proportional representation for Dalits and Adivasis in government jobs and scrapping of the reservation ceiling.
“Make the SC/ST reservation quota proportionate to their population and lift the 50 per cent cap on reservation and then talk about who is insulting OBCs,” Rahul said.
In his first election rally in the state set to vote on May 10, Rahul urged the people of Karnataka to give 150 seats to the Congress to ensure that the BJP doesn’t get any opportunity to destabilise the government by using “ill-gotten wealth”.
“Remember one thing, the BJP will do everything to break any government with the money they earned with the 40 per cent commission,” he said, alluding to the allegation that the state BJP government has been demanding 40 per cent kickbacks to clear bills of civil works contractors.
“They will try to destroy your government with the money they stole from you. So make sure you give 150 seats to the Congress and do not give the BJP any opportunity (to destabilise the government),” he said. The Karnataka Assembly has 224 seats.
Mallikarjun Kharge with Rahul Gandhi during the public meeting in Karnataka’s Kolar on Sunday. PTI picture
Rahul reminded the people of Karnataka about the letter the contractors’ association wrote to Modi complaining about the state government seeking 40 per cent commission to clear their bills. “But the Prime Minister has not responded to the letter till today. That means he is fully aware of the BJP government taking 40 per cent commission,” Rahul alleged.
He pointed out that the Congress has already made four major promises ahead of the polls and asked the party to implement each one of them in the first cabinet meeting once it comes to power.
“I have told the leaders that it shouldn’t take six months or two years to fulfil the promises and they should be announced in the first cabinet meeting itself,” he said.
The Congress has promised 200 free units of electricity each month to every home under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, Rs 2,000 to every woman heading a household under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, 10 kilos of free rice for every member of a poor family under the Anna Bhagya scheme, and the Yuva Nidhi scheme under which Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500 would be provided as unemployment benefits for graduates and diploma holders, respectively, for a period of two years.
“This should send a message to the Prime Minister that if you can give thousands of crores to companies like Adani, we can help women, youth and the poor. You helped people like Adani with an open heart, so we will help the women, youth and poor with an open heart. You do your job, we will do our job,” Rahul said, to loud applause.
