Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday reiterated he is “fully committed” to ensuring caste census in Telangana and will make the state a model for caste census across the country.
Calling caste discrimination in India as “unique” and among worst in the world, the former Congress chief said he “will demolish artificial barrier of 50 per cent reservations in country.”
“Caste census is the first process to be taken up to assess the extent and nature of discrimination. So, I am fully committed to ensuring not only the caste census happens in Telangana, but that Telangana becomes a model for the caste census in the country,” PTI quoted Gandhi as saying.
Gandhi further said there may be some shortcomings in the caste survey to be taken up by the state government. However, these will be sorted out.
Taking potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said,”Why is the PM scared of asking how many Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis are there in corporates, judiciary, media.”
Rahul Gandhi said he has committed in Parliament on behalf of Congress to conduct a national caste census.
This is not the first time that the Congress MP has voiced his support for the caste census. In August, he had posted on X,”Modiji, if you are thinking of stopping the caste census, you are dreaming – no power can stop it now!”In its Lok Sabha elections 2024 manifesto, the Congress promised to conduct caste census if it came to power at the Centre. The grand old party had said it would conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions and it will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC.
