Why PM afraid of caste census: Rahul Gandhi

JAIPUR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday advocated conducting a caste census and asked why was Prime Minister Narendra Modi “afraid” of it.

Addressing a party workers’ conference here, Gandhi also claimed that the special session of Parliament was called to change the name of India to Bharat, but instead the women's reservation bill was introduced.

The Congress leader said the Women's Reservation Bill can be implemented in Parliament and Assemblies today itself, but the central government wants to postpone it for 10 years on the pretext of delimitation and new census.

He said the Congress wants women's reservation to be implemented today itself.

“If we talk about giving participation to OBCs, then it cannot be done without caste census. So the prime minister talks about OBCs 24 hours a day. He talks about respecting OBCs. Then why is the prime minister afraid of the caste census?" Gandhi said.

"Prime minister, please tell India in your next speech that the Congress had conducted the caste census. You have the figures. Show it to the people of India. And you should conduct the next census on the basis of caste. Do not insult the OBCs. Do not cheat the OBCs," Gandhi said.

He said, "As soon as I started raising the issue of caste census in Parliament, BJP MPs tried to suppress my voice."

Gandhi said there is a fight of ideology going on between the BJP and the Congress in the country. “If you ask BJP workers about the relationship between Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they will run away,” the Congress leader told his party workers.

He said the BJP wants women's reservation to be implemented in 10 years, but “we want it today and OBCs included in it”.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot were among others who attended the conference.