'Congress To Conduct Caste Census Once Elected To Power': Rahul Gandhi On Foundation Day

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said although there are several parties in the NDA and I.N.D.I. alliance, the battle is essentially between two ideologies

New Delhi: The Congress sounded the Lok Sabha poll bugle with its mega rally 'Hain Tayyar Hum' in Maharashtra's Nagpur on Thursday. The mega rally comes on the party's 139th foundation day. Addressing the rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said although there are several parties in the NDA and I.N.D.I. alliance, the battle is essentially between two ideologies, between ideas and power. Coming down heavily on the BJP-led government at the Centre, Gandhi said the saffron party is trying to take the country back to the age of slavery, unlike Congress, where even a junior or newly-inducted worker has the liberty to question the top leaders. 

“Today, the BJP has control over all the educational institutions. All the Vice Chancellors belong to the same organisation. There are no longer merit-based appointments,” he said. He also targeted the BJP on unemployment. The Congress leader also said the party will conduct a caste census once elected to power at Centre.

“People think the freedom struggle was only against Britishers. It was also against the kings and rulers. Kings had a partnership with the British. Congress fought against that partnership for the people of the country. Before independence, there were no rights for the people. This is the ideology of RSS. We changed this ideology,” Gandhi said.

Speaking at the rally, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said democracy will be completely ruined if the “Sangh government” is allowed to rule the country.

“During the last 10 years, the BJP and RSS have disturbed the country. If this Sangh Government is not stopped, the country will be ruined. There are two ideologies in Nagpur. One ideology is progressive which belongs to Babasaheb Ambedkar. On the other side is RSS, which is destroying the nation,” Kharge said.

 On Wednesday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said, “It will be a historic moment for the people of the country.” Addressing a press conference, he said that the party will convey a message of change to defeat the BJP at the Centre.

Ahead of the event, Congress MLA from Nagpur Nitin Raut said that the rally will send across a positive message and the grand old party will sound the bugle for the Lok Sabha polls due next year. “The rally, with the theme 'Hain Tayyar Hum' (we are ready), will send a positive message throughout the country. The Congress will sound the bugle for the Lok Sabha polls due next year," Raut told PTI.

Elaborate preparations were made for the mega rally at Dighori in Nagpur and the event saw the presence of lakhs of people and Congress workers. “Whenever the country faced trouble, the Congress pitched in and a big change took place in the country," Patole told reporters, as quoted by PTI. 

With the Assembly elections to five states done and dusted, all the parties have started gearing up for the grand finale next year. With eyes on the general elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to take part in a BJP state-level meeting and chalk out a roadmap to the saffron party's Telangana unit leaders and cadre.