Rahul Gandhi promises caste census, removal of 50% cap on reservation if INDIA bloc voted to power

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the 50 per cent cap on reservation will be removed if the INDIA bloc is voted to power after the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

While addressing a rally in Ranchi during his Manipur-to-Maharashtra Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he also promised a nationwide caste census.

In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said: “When the time came to give rights to OBCs, Dalits, tribals, Modi ji says there are no castes, and when it is time to get votes, he says he is an OBC.”

He claimed that Dalits, tribals, and OBCs were made bonded labourers and their participation was lacking in big companies, hospitals, schools, colleges and courts.

“This is the biggest question before India. Our first step would be to get a caste census in the country,” he added.

Noting that more than 50 per cent reservation cannot be given under existing provisions, Gandhi promised that an Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) government would “throw out” the 50 per cent cap on reservation. 

“There will be no reduction in the reservation of Dalits and Adivasis. I am giving you a guarantee that the backward sections of society will get their rights. This is the biggest issue - social and economic injustice,” Gandhi said.

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Champai Soren-led government won the trust vote in the Jharkhand assembly, Gandhi also alleged that the BJP tried to topple the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) government in the state as the chief minister was a tribal.

“Want to congratulate all alliance MLAs, (Champai) Soren ji as that they stopped the BJP-RSS conspiracy and protected the government of the poor,” Gandhi said. “The Congress and the JMM stood against them together and the government was saved. They (BJP) do this in all opposition-ruled states through probe agencies and money power.”

(With inputs from agencies)