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Gandhi said he regretted not understanding the OBC community’s issues deeply enough and promised to correct that mistake
Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (PTI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday admitted that not pushing for a caste census earlier was his personal mistake, not the Congress party’s, and said he is now taking steps to correct it.
Speaking at the ‘Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan’, an event focused on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) held at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha reflected on his political journey since 2004. He said that while he had fought strongly for issues like land acquisition, the MGNREGA scheme, and food security, there was one major area where he fell short.
“I have been doing politics since 2004, it has been 21 years, and when I look back and do a self-analysis, where all I did the right thing and where I fell short. I see two-three big issues — land acquisition bill, MGNREGA, food bill, fight for tribals, I did these things wrong,” he said.
Gandhi explained that while issues facing Dalits and tribals are more visible, the challenges faced by OBCs are often not as clearly understood. “Ten to fifteen years ago, I did not have a deep understanding of OBC issues… I regret that if I had known more about your history and issues, I would have gotten the caste census done. That is my mistake and not that of the Congress. I am going to correct that mistake.
Reiterating his party’s stand, Gandhi promised that a caste census will be carried out in all Congress-ruled states. He also referred to the caste survey in Telangana as a “political earthquake.”
“The caste census in Telangana is a political earthquake. It has shaken the political ground of the country. You have not felt its aftershock but the impact will be there,” Gandhi said.
He stressed that the Congress is now committed to conducting a caste census to bring forward the real social structure of the country and ensure fair policies for all sections.
“We will conduct a caste census and an X-ray of the population in all Congress-ruled states,” he said.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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