Rahul Gandhi addressed the party's 'Social Justice Conference' at Delhi's Jawahar Bhawan on Wednesday.Earlier this month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party, if voted to power, will conduct a financial and institutional survey to assess wealth distribution in the country. Addressing a public rally in Hyderabad after releasing the Congress’s manifesto, Rahul Gandhi said the survey will be conducted apart from a nationwide caste census.
“We will first conduct a nationwide caste census to determine how many people belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and minorities. After that, we will conduct a financial and institutional survey in a historic step to ascertain the distribution of wealth,” he said.
However, today Gandhi said he only wanted to find out the amount of injustice the country was facing.
“I have not said we will take action yet. I am just saying let’s find out how much injustice has been done,” Rahul Gandhi said, while addressing the party’s ‘Social Justice Conference’ at Delhi’s Jawahar Bhawan.
Gandhi emphasised the Congress party’s commitment to ensuring representation for all communities across sectors, promising their rightful share. Stating that Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and minorities make up 90% of the population, he lamented their underrepresentation in jobs.
“Don’t think the caste census is just a survey of castes. We will also add an economic and institutional survey to it. After 70 years, it is an important step, we should assess what is the situation now and what direction we need to take. We will implement this…” he said.
Gandhi stressed that it is “not just a political issue” but his “life mission” to ensure justice for the underprivileged at a time.
Taking aim at the PM for his comments on Congress’ agenda, he said it is a “revolutionary” manifesto and PM Modi has “panicked”. He said the PM has been saying for the last 10 years that he was an OBC, but the moment he started talking about caste census, the PM says there is no caste.
“If there was no caste, then how would you say you are an OBC. Then he says there are only two castes – rich and poor. If you say so, then count the poor and you will see 90 per cent of them are Dalits, adivasis and OBCs. You won’t find them among the rich. This is not a political issue for me. This is my life mission. There is a difference between political issues and life mission. In politics there could be compromises but not in life mission,” he said.
“Frankly, I am not interested in caste. I am interested in ‘nyay’ (justice). Today, injustice is being done to 90 per cent of people of India. Whenever I talk about testing the injustice being done, everyone starts talking about attempting to divide. A patriotic person wants good for India and for that we need to utilise the power of 90 per cent. Those calling themselves patriotic fear the X-Ray,” he said.