Rahul Gandhi claims no ‘Miss India, top media anchor’ from Dalit, tribal, OBC communities

Gandhi pressed the need for a caste census, saying that it was not for “any political reasons” but to “include 90 per cent of India's poor in the mainstream”.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reiterated his call for a caste census, claiming there had been no women belonging to the Dalit, tribal or OBC communities on the list of Miss India winners. According to him, 90 per cent of the people were not a part of the mainstream.

Rahul Gandhi addressing the Samvidhan Samman Sammelan at AMA auditorium in Prayagraj on Saturday. (HT)

Rahul Gandhi claimed the top anchors in the media industry aren't from these communities.

“I have checked the list of Miss India, which did not have any Dalit, Adivasi (tribal) or OBC women. Some will talk about cricket or Bollywood. No one will show the cobbler or plumber. Even top anchors in the media are not from the 90 per cent…We want to know how many in institutions, corporates, Bollywood, Miss India are from the 90 per cent. I am only saying that 90 per cent did not have ‘bhagidari’ (participants) and this should be checked,” Gandhi said during a ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ in Uttar Pradesh.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre, the Congress leader questioned, “They will say Modiji embraced someone, and we have become a superpower. How have we become a superpower when 90 per cent of people have no participation?”

Gandhi pressed for a nationwide caste census, saying it was not for “any political reasons” but to “include the 90 per cent of India's poor in the mainstream”.

“I am not doing the caste census for political reasons... For me, this is about including the 90 per cent of poor farmers of India into (the mainstream) this country. This is my mission, in the future, even if it causes political loss, I will do it,” he said.

Notably, in its manifesto, the Congress had promised to conduct a nationwide socio-economic caste census during the Lok Sabha elections campaigns.

Rahul Gandhi vows to remove 50% cap on reservation

Gandhi also reiterated his vow to remove the 50 per cent cap on the reservation set by the Supreme Court.

“If anyone thinks that the caste census can be stopped or the 50 per cent barrier in reservation will remain, let me tell you, they are dreaming…Neither the caste census will stop, nor the socio-economic survey, nor the institutional survey, nor will the 50 per cent barrier (in reservation) remain... because the people of India have made up their minds; the order has come from the people, now the Prime Minister must accept this and enforce the order. And if he does not enforce it, then other Prime Ministers will do it,” he said.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)