Indore: Addressing the party's 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in BR Ambedkar's native place Mhow on Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said if the grand old party comes to power it will make a law on over 50 per cent reservation.
"If we come to power, we will make a law for more than 50 per cent reservation," he said. Gandhi also announced that the Congress would get a nationwide caste census conducted soon after assuming power at the Centre while alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would never get it done as he is scared of holding one.
"Till now the backward class does not know about the exact population. You people should understand that only 90 officers in the country make the budget to decide where the money should be spent. Out of these 90, only 5 per cent are from Dalit and tribal backgrounds without having any say. Why only budget? You can see in any sector how many OBCs, Dalits and tribals are employed. The situation is the same in the private sector as well. This class dominates in important areas from the judiciary to education and health. That is why Congress wants a caste census as is being done in Karnataka and Telangana," he said.
Accusing the BJP-led Centre of working for billionaires, he alleged that Dalits, backwards, tribals and the poor are once again being made slaves as employment opportunities are being wiped out and the country's wealth is being handed over to only a few crony capitalists.
"Everyone pays GST but the money goes to the pockets of billionaires. Privatisation is being done on a large scale in the country as Railways and airports are being handed over to a few industrialists. All big contracts are being handed over to them. All your money is being handed over to Adani and Ambani. Despite getting all the money, these billionaires pay the same GST as yours. Prime Minister Modi has waived off the debt of billionaires worth Rs 16 lakh crore no farmer has got the benefit of it," Gandhi said.
He accused the BJP and RSS of insulting Ambedkar and the Constitution and urged the party workers to take the pledge of protecting it from those in power.
He also accused the BJP-RSS of attempting to change the Constitution framed by Ambedkar and said that is why they gave the slogan of "400 paar" in last year's Lok Sabha polls.
Referring to the statement of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Gandhi said, "They (RSS) feel that the country got independence only when Modi became the PM. This is a direct attack on the Constitution. BJP tried to end the Constitution before the Lok Sabha elections. They still intend to finish the Constitution. You people should understand that the day the Constitutional rule ends, everything will go awry. There will be nothing left for the poor, Dalits and tribals in the country. But as long as Congress is there, BJP's plans will not succeed."
"Independence was an important milestone because after that for the first time the Dalits, tribals, backward classes, minorities and poor of India got rights through the Constitution. But, Mohan Bhagwat says that was not true independence - because BJP and RSS do not believe in the Constitution of India. They want to snatch away the rights of the Bahujans and the poor and make them slaves again," Gandhi shared on X.
"This fight is necessary to save the Constitution. This is not an election but a fight between those who save the Constitution and those who want to change it. Ever since Modi came to power, there have been repeated attempts to change the Constitution. Rahul Gandhi recognised Modi from the very beginning. That is why there have been attempts to stop Modi from the very first day. Efforts like Ghazni and Mahabharata will never succeed. When Gandhiji saved the country by defeating the British, Rahul Gandhi will also save the country and its Constitution," Telangana CM Revant Reddy, who attended the rally, said.
The rally saw the presence of Congress stalwarts including its president Mallikarjun Kharge, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh, Jairam Ramesh, Kumari Selja, Randeep Surjewala, Jeetu Patwari, Umang Singhar and others.
Also Read:
- BJP-RSS People 'Traitors', Never Contributed To Freedom Struggle: Kharge Urges Partymen To Unite
- Waqf Panel Accepts Ruling Alliance's Amendments In 14 Clauses, Rejects Opposition-Sponsored Changes
