Cong committed to carry out nationwide caste census: Rahul
The Congress MP said that the caste census will decide the system of governance in the country and it would be a political instrument to define the progress of the nation
Stating that there is a massive caste discrimination in India, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that his party was committed to carrying out a nationwide caste census and demolishing the 50% ceiling on reservations in the country.
Addressing a state-level consultation on caste census organised by the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee at Rajiv Gandhi Ideology Centre at Bowenpally in Hyderabad, Gandhi said that the caste survey, which was being undertaken by the Telangana government from Wednesday, will be a role model for the entire country.
“The caste census is the first process to be taken up to assess the extent and nature of discrimination. I cannot lie like others to Dalits, Adivasis, women, OBCs or minorities saying that there is no caste discrimination,” he said.
The Congress MP said that the caste census will decide the system of governance in the country and it would be a political instrument to define the progress of the nation. “If we want to talk of happiness or progress of the country, let us first identify the nature of discrimination. Let us simply measure and expose the level of caste discrimination,” he said.
Gandhi criticised that when he spoke about caste discrimination in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders would raise a hue and cry stating that he was dividing the country. “How can revealing the truth mean dividing the country? Let us explore the truth. The foundation of our religion is truth and ‘Ahimsa’,” he said.
He said he was still wondering why the Prime Minister did not want to challenge caste discrimination and why he was scared of asking questions about lack of proper representation of the marginalised sections in many sectors. “The level of caste discrimination in the country was unique and probably the worst in the world where a Dalit is treated as an untouchable,” he pointed out.
The Congress leader said the caste census should check population of the discriminated communities, how much wealth is there in each section and how the wealth is being distributed in the country. “How many Dalits or OBCs are there in the board rooms, judiciary, armed forces or as television anchors?” he asked.
Admitting that there could be shortcomings in conducting caste survey, Gandhi said that the state government will overcome them by holding discussions with civil society and people. “We want the discriminated sections to decide the questions during the caste survey,” he said.
The Congress MP noted down various suggestions made by several intellectuals and academics over the caste survey.
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy, deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, PCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and AICC in-charge of Telangana Deepa Das Munshi and others spoke at the event.