“Rahul Gandhi hits out at Modi over caste census: A fight for the people
New Delhi: In the bustling landscape of Indian politics, the drums of war are beating louder as the elections in Rajasthan draw closer. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has chosen a unique battlefield: the issue of caste census and the alleged close relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani.
Gandhi, in his fiery speeches in Bundi and Dausa, accused Modi of working “round the clock” for Adani, creating what he called “two Hindustans” – one for the prosperous industrialist and the other for the struggling masses. The charismatic leader even quipped, “The Prime Minister should say ‘Adani ji ki Jai’ instead of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ because he works for them.”
The crux of Gandhi’s argument lies in Modi’s reluctance to conduct a caste census, a step which the Congress leader considers essential to understand the socio-economic fabric of the country. Gandhi vowed that implementing the caste census would be the first task of the Congress after gaining power at the Centre.
Amid battle lines being drawn for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections to be held on November 25, Gandhi targeted not only Modi but also the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that if they win, the Ashok Gehlot-led Public welfare schemes launched by the government will suffer losses. Dissection.
Gandhi’s rhetoric extended to questioning the representation of marginalized people, emphasizing the need for a caste census to ensure equitable opportunities. He challenged Modi’s claim of a casteless society by highlighting the alleged discrepancy in the number of OBCs in key administrative roles.
In response, the BJP rejected Gandhi’s claims as baseless, emphasized the positive impact of Modi’s plans and countered with statistics on crime against Dalits and women in Rajasthan.
As the political stage heats up, Gandhi’s emphasis on the caste census issue adds a new layer to the election discussion, framing it as a fight for the rights and representation of every Indian citizen. Echoes of this debate will undoubtedly be heard in the elections to be held in Rajasthan on 25th November.
