Rahul Gandhi holds caste census at press meet; asks Dalit, OBC reporters to raise hands

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sought to underscore the importance of caste census by saying that the weaker sections were not getting a fair share in opportunities. He went on to ask journalists at a press conference after CWC to raise their hands to show how many of them were OBCs and Dalits.

New Delhi [India] : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing a press conference after CWC meet yesterday, went on to ask journalists at a press conference after CWC to raise their hands to show how many of them were OBCs and Dalits. He sought to underscore his point that the weaker sections have not been getting their fair share in the country's assets and institutions.

Rahul Gandhi said that they were asking a historical question how much share the OBCs are getting in the country and how of it was going to the Dalit sections. He further asked how many Dalits were there in the room where he was addressing the press conference. "How many OBCs are there in the room, raise your hands," the former Congress president asked. He address this the press conference right after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting that took a decision on the nationwide caste census among other issues for the emancipation of the poorer sections.

Rahul Gandhi asserted that the new political and economic models will be based on the aspect of how much benefit was going to the deserving sections in the country. He reiterated that this is why their party is now asking what is the share of Dalits, tribals, and other backward classes (OBCs) is in the country's assets, institutions in proportion to their population.

Rahul Gandhi's statement and the CWC decision came after the Congress governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh decided to implement caste census just like in Bihar.