BackRahul Gandhi woos OBCs, says Congress will give them their rights
Rahul Gandhi said Congress will give greater political representation to OBCs not just within the party, but also in Parliament and state assemblies
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New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said his party will give greater political representation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) not just within the organization, but also in Parliament and state assemblies.
“You should remove the word ‘a little’ from your usage. You will not be given a little but full rights," Gandhi said, addressing the first national convention of the party’s OBC department. “Congress party will give you what your rights are. Wherever you need us, we will be there. We want to bring you in legislative assemblies, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha," Gandhi said. The event is seen as a key outreach programme to the OBC community.
The Congress also announced it will ensure all its party committees will have representation from OBCs.
Several party leaders who addressed the half-day convention said the party had distanced itself from OBCs and that adequate representation was not given to the community both within the party as well as electorally.
“Something may have been amiss on our side and that may be the reason that some OBC leaders who should have got an opportunity in Congress did not get it... Rahul Gandhi has directed and I will ensure that any committee which is being made, whether in states or in districts or in blocks, in all these there must be OBC representation," Ashok Gehlot, general secretary in-charge of organisation said in his address.
Gandhi added that Congress has stood by the OBCs in the past including on the issues like reservation and will continue to stand by them. He also attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for ‘dividing the OBCs’ so they cannot put forth their demand unitedly.
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