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Rahul Gandhi says CWC unanimously supports idea of nationwide caste census
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday stated that the Congress Working Committee has unanimously agreed to support a nationwide caste census and added that the move was supported by most constituents of the Opposition’s INDIA alliance.
“Most INDIA parties support idea of caste census; if someone has different opinion, we are flexible, not fascist,” he said.
Gandhi added that with the support of their Chief Ministers, the four Congress-ruled states will see caste surveys, as well.. “We are happy to announce that our chief ministers have also decided to move forward with the caste census in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Himachal.”
“It’s a very progressive, powerful step for emancipation of poor people,” Gandhi said while addressing a press conference following a meeting of the CWC in New Delhi.
The Wayanad MP further said that a pan-India caste census is necessary, arguing that it gives an “X-Ray” of the people that will help to form a new paradigm in the development of the country.
“Today, two Indias are being created – one for the Adanis and the other for everyone. The caste census will clearly show the kind of people and the number of people in India,” he said.
Taking a step further in this direction, Gandhi also suggested carrying out economic surveys to better evaluate the situation of India’s Dalits, OBCs, and poor, for whom this initiative is being taken. “This is not a matter of caste or religion, it is a matter of poverty,” he added.
According to Gandhi, the additional economical survey will help better determine India’s wealth and assets. He said, “We will know how many people are there and who owns the wealth and assets of the country.”
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In addition, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that a nationwide caste census is important to meet out social justice and rights to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and OBCs in accordance with their population. Kharge asserted that without proper socio-economic data on the weaker sections of the society, it is difficult to provide social justice to them.
Gandhi also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP government. “PM Modi’s charge that demand for caste census an attempt to divide people is nothing but a distraction,” he said.
A day after the Bihar government released its caste survey data, PM Modi attacked the Congress leadership and asked whether it wanted to take away the rights of the minorities as the party has been advocating for “jitni abaadi utna haq” – rights according to the size of the population.