Rahul Gandhi admits past mistake on caste census, vows justice for OBCs, SCs & STs; slams Modi and BJP’s policies.
Rahul Gandhi said that he had committed a "mistake" in his political career of 21 years after entering it in 2004.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday admitted that it was his "mistake" and not that of the party that they could not get a caste census conducted earlier as he could not understand their problems like of the dalits and added he is correcting that now.
He made the remarks while addressing the Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan of the OBC department at Talkatora Stadium here.
He also said that 90 per cent people of the country are.facing injustice and they are not getting the real value of their hard work and it is our work to make them socially and economically stronger so that they can become the part of country's growth.
Rahul Gandhi said that he had committed a "mistake" in his political career of 21 years after entering it in 2004.
He said his mistake was that he did not protect the interests of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) section as much as he should have done.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that he understood the problems of the dalits and backwards and while the problems of OBCs was not much visible to him.
He also asserted that the caste census carried out in Telangana is a "political earthquake" that will cause a huge "aftershock" in the country.
He mentioned that 21st century belongs to data and said, "21st century belongs to data and the data that we got in Telangana through which we can tell that how much SC, STs and OBCs are working in any corporate sector."
"We have the data and through that we know the lakhs and crore of people from SC, ST and OBC community are not getting their packages," he said, adding that if we bring out rhe data of the MGNREGA and gig workers then we will understand that in the same most are.from SC, ST and OBC community.
He also jibed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he keeps on claiming about Hindu India, whereas 50 per cent of Hindus are OBC.
If Hindu India is there, then in corporate and media why OBCs are not there, why in the big anchor lists there are Noone from OBC and they (government) is snatching the labds of SC, STs and OBCs and giving it to the businessmen.
It is reason why we said that wherever there is Congresd government, we will conduct caste based census so that we can know that how much participation is of the OBC community, he said.
He also asserted that any country is run by its productive force and that productive force provides the country with essential things like buildings, roads, schools-colleges, tools etc.
"So my question is, if you build the country with your blood, sweat and hard work, then what does the country give you?" Rahul Gandhi asked.
"The answer is - the rights of OBCs, tribals and Dalits are killed through Annual Confidential Report (ACR). If you look at the big ministries at the national level, you will not find the names of OBCs, tribals and Dalits there," he added.
He also mentioned that BJP leaders say that we will wipe out English from India.
"Ask them - where does their children study? Their children study abroad, do they study in Hindi medium there? Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada... all such regional languages are important, but along with these, English is also important," he said taking a pot shot at the BJP.
He also asserted that the media has just made Modi a balloon. "I have met him. It is just a show-off, there is no substance," he added.
