Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi, promises caste census and reservation reform in Jharkhand rally

In a fiery election rally in support of Congress candidate Deepika Pandey Singh in Mahagama, Jharkhand, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterated his party’s commitment to caste census and reservation reforms.

Gandhi began his address by holding up a copy of the Indian Constitution, stating that the India Alliance is fighting to protect the Constitution, which, according to him, is under attack by the BJP and RSS. He argued that the BJP-led government is attempting to discard the Constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights like the right to vote, water, and forests. "This Constitution is the soul of India. Before this, kings and maharajas ruled as they pleased, but after the Constitution, everyone has equal rights," he said.

Gandhi took a direct shot at PM Modi’s criticism of his frequent references to the Constitution, saying, "Modi says I show the 'Lal Kitab' (the red book, referring to the Constitution). I want to tell him, the color doesn't matter; it's what’s written inside that counts." He criticized Modi for failing to understand the Constitution and accused him of fostering division and hatred in the country while serving the interests of billionaires.

The Congress leader also pointed to the rising inequality, stating that Modi has written off loans of billionaires while snatching away Rs 16 lakh crore from the poor. Gandhi further claimed that Modi is attempting to give land worth Rs 1 lakh crore to Adani in Mumbai’s Dharavi, which he suggested led to the toppling of the Congress-led government in Maharashtra.

Turning to the issue of caste-based reservation, Gandhi pointed out the stark underrepresentation of Dalits, tribals, and backward classes in key positions. "Out of 90 officers who distribute the budget, only one is a tribal, three are Dalits, and three are from backward classes," he said, adding that the Congress government would ensure a caste census in both Delhi and Jharkhand. This, he argued, would help identify the true population of each caste and allocate resources fairly, thus ensuring equal opportunities for all sections of society.

Gandhi also promised significant changes in reservation policies, including increasing reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), as well as backward classes. "In Jharkhand, SC reservation will increase to 26-28 percent, while ST will get 10-12 percent reservation. For backward classes, we will increase the reservation from 14 to 27 percent," he announced.

The Congress leader also took aim at the media, labeling it as "Godi media," which he accused of serving the interests of corporate giants like Ambani and Adani. He emphasized that with a caste census, Dalits and backward people would be better represented in the media, and the nature of news channels would change.

In a bold pledge, Gandhi assured that if the Congress returned to power, it would bring a law for caste-based census in the Lok Sabha, breaking the existing 50 percent reservation barrier.