Congress will remove quota cap if elected to power, says Rahul

Rahul Gandhi criticizes BJP, RSS, vows to remove reservation cap, conduct caste census when Congress returns to power.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on his first visit to Bihar after becoming the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, on Saturday (January 18, 2025) slammed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party for being anti-Constitution and asserted that 20-25 billionaires own the wealth of the country. Mr. Gandhi further said the 50% reservation barrier would be removed and caste census conducted across the country when the Congress returns to power at the Centre.

“Only 20-25 billionaires own the wealth of the country today. Bihar has become the country’s labour factory. The RSS and BJP are anti-Constitution and on coming to power, our government would remove the 50% reservation cap after determining the population of caste groups and their representation in governance,” Mr. Gandhi said while addressing Congress functionaries and workers at the party’s State headquarters in Patna, the Sadaqat Ashram.

Earlier, he addressed the ‘Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan’ (Save Constitution Conclave) organised by social organisations at the Bapu Sabhagar auditorium in the city. The conclave was part of a series of events the Congress leader had addressed across the country in recent times to target the ruling BJP over alleged attempts to tamper with the Constitution.

Recalling RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent statement that India got true Independence only after consecration of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the Congress leader said, “The RSS and BJP do not believe in India’s Independence and so in the country’s Constitution… he [Mr. Bhagwat] is erasing the ideology of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Lord Buddha, and Mahatma Gandhi from every institution in India… they are anti-Constitution. Only the Congress can save the Constitution”.  

“It is a fight between two ideologies - of love and warmth of the Congress party and hate and violence of the BJP”, added Mr. Gandhi, while asserting the “Congress alone can fight the BJP.”

Mr. Gandhi also said the number of voters had increased by one crore in Maharashtra between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. “We had asked the Election Commission for voter lists of Maharashtra’s Lok Sabha and Assembly elections but are yet to get that”. “There is an election in Bihar coming this year and Bihar is known for bringing in change in the country’s politics. You [Congress workers and leaders] are our Babbar Sher [lions] and tigers. Our party’s ideology is in your blood and DNA. You will fight for the Constitution and against the BJP-RSS ideology”, Mr. Gandhi said, enthusing party workers and leaders in the poll-bound State. The Assembly election in Bihar is due in October-November.

While slamming the Bihar government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Mr. Gandhi said, “The caste survey done by the Bihar government [released in 2023] was fake and when our government returns to power, a caste census will be held across the country to know the exact population of castes and their representation in governance”.