‘No Miss India from Dalits, tribals or OBC communities,’ says Rahul Gandhi in caste census push

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reiterated his demand for a nationwide caste census by claiming 90 percent of the country's people are sitting out of the system, and the step should be taken in their interest. Gandhi also said that the caste census is the foundation and a tool for policy making for the Congress party if it comes to power.

"90 per cent people are sitting out of the system. They have skill, knowledge but no connections (with the system). That is why we have raised the demand for a caste census," Gandhi said, addressing the 'Samvidhan Samman Sammelan' in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

 “For the Congress, the caste census is the foundation of policy making. It is a tool for policy making. We cannot make policies in the reality of India without a caste census,” said Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha adding that just like the Constitution, the caste census is a policy framework and a guide for the Congress.

A nationwide caste census was one of the pre-poll manifesto promises in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 of the Congress party. "We want the data. How many Dalits, OBC (Other Backward Classes), tribals, women, minorities, general caste people are there. We are trying to protect the Constitution through this demand for a caste census," he added.

"...I checked the list of Miss India to see if there would be any Dalit or tribal woman in it, but there was no women from Dalit, tribal or OBC. Still the media talks about dance, music, cricket, Bollywood but does not talk about farmers and labourers," Gandhi was heard saying at the event.

He said the Constitution is not for the 10 per cent of the country's population, it is for all the citizens.

"The Constitution is protected by poor people, labourers, tribals and not (industrialist Gautam) Adani. If 90 per cent people do not have participatory rights, the Constitution cannot be protected.

"Our aim is to protect the Constitution. This (the Constitution) is a protective shield for the poor, farmers and labourers. Without it, the situation would be as it used to be earlier in the times of kings and emperors, who did whatever they wanted," he said.

The former Congress chief alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to replicate the model of kings and emperors. "You (Modi) consider yourself non-biological. You consider yourself connected with the God. You had to bow down before the Constitution right after the (Lok Sabha) election. This was not done by us but by people," he said.

Later, in a post on X, the Congress leader said, that the caste census is about building a policy framework to deliver social justice.  opportunity,” he said.

(With agency inputs)