New Delhi, September 22: Former Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi reiterated his call for the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill while removing the clauses related to delimitation and census. He expressed regret that the Bill did not include provisions for the OBC (Other Backward Classes) quota. Additionally, Rahul Gandhi urged the Central government to conduct a caste census.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Rahul Gandhi commented on the recent Special Session of Parliament and the shift from the old Parliament to the new Parliament building. He stated that although the Women’s Reservation Bill was a positive step, the inclusion of requirements for census and delimitation would cause significant delays. He emphasized that reservation for women could be implemented promptly, but the government appeared reluctant to do so.
“The government has presented this before the country, but it will be implemented 10 years from now. Nobody knows if this will even be implemented. This is a distraction tactic, diversion tactic,” remarked the Congress leader.
Rahul Gandhi also discussed the representation of OBCs in government positions, particularly in the higher echelons. He pointed out that despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims of working for the OBC community, only a small percentage of top officials belong to the OBC category, which raises questions about their level of influence.
“The Lok Sabha is called the temple of democracy, but MPs seem to have limited power and minimal involvement in government affairs,” he alleged.
Calling on the youth of the OBC community to understand these issues, Rahul Gandhi demanded the removal of census and delimitation clauses from the Women’s Reservation Bill to ensure that women receive their rightful representation. He also stressed the need for transparency in caste census data and called on the Prime Minister to explain why only a small fraction of top government officers are OBCs.
In response to a question about whether he regrets the absence of OBC quota in the Bill, Rahul Gandhi responded, “Yes, 100 per cent, I regret that.”
