Not implementing caste census in UPA-2 a mistake: Rahul Gandhi in Ranchi

Jibe at PM, HM over Manipur violence

Ranchi, November 18: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday admitted that it was a mistake that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government could not implement the Caste Census which it brought in 2011.

The Congress MP also asserted that they will implement the Caste Census in Jharkhand if the INDIA bloc comes to power.

Recently, the Congress-led Telangana government announced that it will conduct a caste census. Earlier, Caste Census was conducted in Bihar under the JDU-RJD-Congress alliance headed by CM Nitish Kumar.

“UPA and Congress came out with the idea of a Caste Census. I consider it a mistake that we did not implement it then. We have a government in Telangana and we have a government in Karnataka. We are doing a detailed exercise, a public exercise where we are meeting with different stakeholders and we are preparing the questions of the caste census through a public discussion,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters here in Ranchi.

Rahul Gandhi affirmed belief that the Caste Census would be a ‘huge step’ towards the development of the country.

“We have a very clear vision for the caste census. I guarantee you that when we implement the caste census, which we will do, as I have committed in the Lok Sabha and we will do in Jharkhand, it will be a huge step in the transformation and development of this country,” he added.
Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party over the issue, Rahul Gandhi said, “The BJP people have no idea even how to do this, even if they wanted to do it.”

Notably, the Congress party and the INDIA bloc have consistently advocated for a nationwide caste census, calling it a “progressive and significant step” for the bridging inequality in the country.
The Jharkhand Assembly election is taking place in two phases. The first phase was held on November 13, and the second phase is scheduled for November 20.

Rahul Gandhi mocked BJP’s slogan ‘ek rahenge toh safe rahenge’ (if we remain united, we will be safe) by saying that it translated into unity between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and billionaires like Ambani.

The Congress leader also attacked Modi for not visiting Manipur which has been “burning” for the last one-and-a-half years, and alleged that Shah was not taking interest in containing violence in the northeastern state as “vested interests” were at play.

He alleged that prime assets of the country, including airports, ports and natural resources, were being handed over to billionaires like Adani and Ambani without following transparent tender processes

On Manipur, he said that the entire country is watching what is happening in the northeastern state. “Manipur has been burning for the last one-and-a-half years but PM Modi did not visit the state even once. I went there and saw the situation and urged the government to control the violence. The Home Minister should have done his work but he is not taking interest… some vested interest is at play,” he alleged.

Gandhi, however, did not provide any evidence to back his allegations.