Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to Rahul Gandhi's claim that only three Other Backward Classes (OBC) members hold positions as secretaries in the government during a heated debate on the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament on Wednesday (September 20). Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pressed for a separate quota for OBCs within the scope of the Women's Reservation Bill, as well as the release of Caste Census data.
"Daro mat, daro mat (don't be afraid)," Rahul said, referring to the Caste Census," he stated that the government has 90 secretaries. "I asked myself how many of these secretaries are from the OBC community, and the answer shocked and shattered me. Only three of them are from the OBC community and control only 5% of India's budget," Rahul said.
Responding to Rahul's comments, Shah stated, "Some people believe that secretaries run the country, but I believe that the government does." The OBC community has 85 BJP MPs and 29 ministers."
"Our Constitution states that the country's policy will be decided solely by the Cabinet and the Parliament. You (referring to Rahul Gandhi, who was not present during Shah's speech) are not here to listen, but I'd like to inform you that 29 percent of our party's MPs are from the OBC community. Simply come to us if you want to compare. And there are 29 ministers from the community in our union cabinet," Shah said.
"Our party has 365 MLAs who are from the OBC category out of 1358 MLAs. This is higher in the number of people who are concerned about the welfare of the OBC category. You talk about the OBCs, but it was the BJP who gave this country an OBC PM," he added.
The exchange further intensified when Rahul Gandhi advocated for an OBC quota within the Women's Reservation Bill, asserting that the current proposal was "incomplete" without it. He highlighted the underrepresentation of OBCs among government secretaries and their limited control over India's budget.
Amid the debate, an uproar ensued over Rahul's use of the phrase "daro mat" (don't be scared), prompting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to advise against such language, emphasising that the discussion centered on the women's reservation bill.
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Rahul countered, asserting that the discussion encompassed the rights and representation of both women and OBCs in India, lamenting the low budgetary control exerted by the latter. He stressed the necessity of the Caste Census to ascertain the accurate demographics.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in response to the ongoing discussions, confirmed that a census would be conducted for the implementation of the women's reservation bill immediately after the upcoming elections. He also assured that delimitation would occur soon after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, addressing concerns of potential delays.
Challenging those opposing the bill's process and timing, Shah questioned the transparency of seat allocation for women MPs, urging neutrality in the matter.
"A Supreme Court judge, a representative of the Election Commission, and one representative from each political party will form part of the delimitation commission, as mandated by law," Amit Shah clarified.
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Expressing support for the Women's Reservation Bill, Shah underlined its significance in facilitating women's participation in decision-making and policymaking within the nation.
The Women's Reservation Bill, which proposes a 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was introduced in the Lok Sabha earlier this week.
Amit Shah noted that this was the fifth attempt to pass the Women's Reservation Bill, stretching from Devegowda to Manmohan Singh. He questioned the reasons for the company's previous failures.
The bill is set to go into effect following the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies, which is scheduled to happen after the next population census. Amit Shah concluded by addressing social media concerns, stating that supporting the bill would ensure progress, particularly for OBCs and Muslims seeking reservations within its framework.