New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday admitted that in the last 10-15 years, the party “fell short” of taking care of the challenges faced by OBCs and this opened up the space to the BJP.
Addressing an event at Indira Bhawan here, Gandhi said it is the job of the Congress people to take care of every Indian and claimed it has been fair towards all communities in the country.
The event saw discussion on the Telangana Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey, 2024, in the presence of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
“I feel when it came to Dalits, Adivasis, women’s issues, the Congress party was on track in the last 10-15 years. But I do feel that the Congress’ understanding of OBC issues and the understanding of challenges they were facing, and the type of actions that the party should have and could have taken, we fell short,” Gandhi said.
He said this is what he feels and many may not agree with him.
“…I have the feeling that we allowed, we opened the space for the BJP, because we were not responsive to the aspirations, desires of the OBC people. That is what I feel,” the former Congress chief said.
“The Congress party is, however, always responsive to all people and communities and everybody should feel that there is a fairness in the party,” the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha stressed.
Lauding Revanth Reddy and his team for conducting the survey, Gandhi said not only did they conduct the caste census in the spirit that it should have been done, they did it in the right spirit and I can say with certainty that with the level of competence they have done it, this is a milestone for social justice in this country.
“This is now going to define how the national caste census is done,” he claimed, adding that the census was not done in close bureaucratic rooms, but the door was opened and lakhs of people in Telangana, different communities, and occupational groups were surveyed.
He said one must not underestimate “what we have in our hand” and added that in the earlier years, power came to those nations which owned oil, today the countries that have data have the power.
Noting that Telangana today has 21st century data in their hand, he said it has the power to target development at the street level in terms of governance.
“We can target caste, education, health or anything. No other state in India today has the ability to target development the way Telangana has. It is a social tool, it is also a financial and economic tool. What the BJP does not like is that it is also a political tool.
“The idea of breaking the 50 per cent wall on reservations, that the government of India is opposing, has the ability to destroy completely the politics of Hindutva,” he said.
Gandhi said when the Congress puts pressure, the BJP is forced to listen as they do not have a choice.
“I know the BJP is not going to do the caste census in the right way. They cannot do it, as they cannot tell the people of India what is the true condition of OBC, Dalits and tribals, even general castes. Because, if they tell the truth to India, their entire idea would die,” the former Congress president said.
Noting that English education is very important, he claimed that our government will help transform the lives of people of Telagana using the data received through the caste census.
“Our job is to ensure that every single person in India understands what has happened in Telangana and how the Government of India is trying to stop the progress of what is going on in Telangana. We have said we are going to break the wall of reservation and the Telangana government has sent a note in this regard to the Government of India, but they are not allowing that.
“Our job is to raise it in Parliament and push the idea of breaking this wall of reservation and help people of Telangana,” he said.
Addressing the event, Kharge said he is happy that Telangana has accomplished a good task and showed the new direction to the country.
He, however, lamented that untouchables are not included in this survey.
“If scheduled castes and backwards support the Congress together, along with minorities, then we can cross more than 50 per cent (votes) and reach around 60 to 70 per cent,” he said urging Congress leaders to work towards it.
“We will have to do this in every state by force. We have to work fearlessly. We have to strengthen our party and this could be achieved only after getting political power. We can take the society forward only if we have economic strength, mental strength or human strength,” Kharge said.
The Congress chief urged the PCC presidents and other leaders to take the Telangana caste survey to other states. PTI SKC SKC KVK KVK
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