Rahul Gandhi promises to conduct Caste Census, yank off 50 per cent quota ceiling

Terming the 50 per cent ceiling on quotas as an 'artificial barrier', Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress-led INDIA bloc will remove the reservation limit and also conduct a Caste Census in the country, here on Saturday.

"No force in the world can stop us from doing this… it is a promise by the Congress. We shall conduct a Caste Census and also remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation to give the people their due," said Rahul Gandhi amid a thunderous applause.

Addressing a 'Samvidhan Samman Sammelan', the Congress MP said neither the Bharatiya Janata Party nor the RSS or Prime Minister Narendra Modi can stop them from these changes as the Congress and INDIA bloc are totally committed to taking reservation beyond the 50 per cent limit.

"A Caste Census is equivalent to an 'X-Ray'. What is the harm in getting it done? We need to have the correct data of how many Dalits, OBCs, Tribals, women, minorities and the general castes people are there. We are trying to protect the Constitution through the demand for a Caste Census," said Rahul Gandhi.

He said that the Census would serve the dual purpose of ascertaining which community has what population and the socio-economic survey will reveal the participation of these deprived sections in all the institutions in the country.

"However, the BJP-RSS are against such a survey and don't want it to happen. They don't want the 90 per cent of the citizens of this country to know the truth or in whose hands is the entire system of running the country. But we want to protect the Constitution and the quotas," Rahul Gandhi pointed out.

He reiterated his earlier statistical data how the Dalits, OBCs and marginalised groups are not given adequate opportunities or representation in industries, businesses or the legal system, and due to the privatisation of various government organisations, the quotas are also being eliminated there.

People with knowledge, skills, talent and experience from the deprived sections are lagging behind, the history of Dalits and OBCs is not being taught and erased from the education curriculum and only a particular group dominated the academic sector.

"A child from a poor family dreams of becoming a doctor, lawyer, engineer, but very few are able to achieve it. The rest are left behind. Under such circumstances, how will India become a 'Superpower' as is being claimed," questioned Rahul Gandhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Kolhapur MP, Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj said that without quotas, the progress of the backward community will not be achieved and that is why, way back in 1902, the late Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj -- who enjoyed close rapport with B.R. Ambedkar -- had implemented reservations to ensure equality for all.

Later, Ambedkar had enshrined the reservation in the Constitution of India and it was implemented nationwide, but unfortunately now, efforts are being made to dismantle the Constitution and to finish off the quotas, he asserted.

Present at the event were a galaxy of top Congress leaders including state President Nana F. Patole, AICC’s Ramesh Chennithala, CWC's M. Arif Naseem Khan, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, Balasaheb Thorat, Satej D. Bunty Patil, and others.