Caste census an X-ray to find out problems of OBCs: Rahul Gandhi
The Hindu
Rahul Gandhi claims caste-based census is an X-ray to detect problems of OBCs, Dalits, tribals and how much representation they should get. He alleges PM Modi wants to hide truth and only 5 OBCs among 90 officers running India. He promises to pressure Central govt to conduct survey if Congress comes to power.
Caste-based census is like an X-ray that will detect the problems of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Dalits and tribals of the country and how much representation they should get, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday at a public rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.
Just a day after the announcement of election dates by the Election Commission, Mr. Gandhi, campaigning in the BJP stronghold Vindhya region, made it clear that the Congress is going to centre its poll campaign around the caste-based survey and OBC rights plank.
Addressing the gathering at Beohari in Shahdol district, Mr. Gandhi said, “OBCs, Dalits and Adivasis are getting injured. Let’s find out the injury by conducting the X-ray. We want to find out how many OBCs are there and how much representation they should get.”
The Congress leader alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to “hide this truth”. “He talks about Pakistan, Afghanistan and what not. But he can’t talk about caste census because the remote control is with [Gautam] Adani,” the Congress MP charged.
Mr. Gandhi, on his second visit to Madhya Pradesh in the poll season, claimed that the Adivasi and OBC youth were unemployed because there were not enough top government officials from the community to make decisions for them.
“There are about 90 officers that run the Government of India in New Delhi who make decisions for the country. The BJP’s MPs don’t run the government. But there are only five OBCs among these 90 officers,” he said.
Claiming that the Adivasi representation was even less, Mr. Gandhi said, “If the government spends ₹100, OBC officers take decisions of ₹5 but officers from the Adivasi community only take decisions for barely 10 paisa.”
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Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.