Bhupalpally (Telangana), October 19: During his campaign in Telangana, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a significant pledge on Thursday. He promised that, if the Congress is elected to power in Telangana, the party will conduct a comprehensive caste census in the state.
Addressing gatherings at corner meetings as part of the Vijayabheri Yatra in Bhupalpally district, Rahul Gandhi highlighted the importance of a caste census and raised questions about the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on this issue.
Rahul Gandhi emphasized that the caste census is a crucial issue in the country. He likened it to an “X-ray” that will reveal whether the population of backward classes in India is truly only five percent. He questioned, “If the OBC population in the country is only five percent, how can OBCs control just five percent of India’s budget?”
Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi stated that the Congress party has already initiated caste census processes in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka. He assured the people of Telangana that, should the Congress come to power in the state, their first priority would be to conduct a comprehensive caste census, akin to an “X-ray.”
Rahul Gandhi promised that a Congress-led government in Telangana would be dedicated to the welfare of the poor, farmers, and workers.
He also noted that this caste census would reveal the extent of financial resources that the people of Telangana had allegedly lost due to corruption within the Chief Minister’s family.
Rahul Gandhi criticized the current political landscape in Telangana, alleging that one family had a stranglehold on the state. He also claimed that Telangana had the highest levels of corruption among all states in the country and that this corruption model was being exported to other states.
He reminded the people of Telangana that, during the movement for the formation of the state, they had hoped for a government that truly represented the people. However, he lamented that it seemed like “one family” was ruling them instead.
Rahul Gandhi questioned the Chief Minister’s stance on the BJP, highlighting the absence of any inquiries by central agencies like the CBI or ED against him. He suggested that if the Chief Minister was genuinely opposing the BJP, such investigations should have occurred.
In conclusion, Rahul Gandhi framed the upcoming assembly election as a battle between the “raja” (ruler) and the “praja” (people) and predicted the defeat of the ruling party in the next month’s elections. He alleged that the ruling party, BJP, and AIMIM were collaborating, with the ruling party’s support for the BJP in Parliament on various issues.
Rahul Gandhi also shared his personal experience of facing legal cases as part of his ideological fight against the BJP and the RSS, stating that his commitment remained unwavering despite adversity.
