Rahul Gandhi raises pitch for caste-based census

Bidar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday reiterated his stand that the 50 per cent cap on reservation should be lifted, that the caste census should be made public so that OBCs are given better representation and that Dalits and Adivasis are given reservation proportionate to their population in the country.

Speaking at public meetings in Bhalki and Humnabad in this north-eastern Karnataka district, Rahul Gandhi said that Bidar was 12th-century social reformer Basavanna's 'karma bhoomi, and that BJP and RSS were attacking Basavanna's ideals of equal partnership, equal opportunities and everyone moving ahead together.

Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release the 2011 census' caste-based OBC categorisation data in the public domain and to provide reservation based on population, he also demanded that the 50 per cent cap on reservation be removed.

"Modi only speaks about OBCs but will not release the data. Modi only wants OBC votes. But Congress soon after coming to power will do it," he said, adding that the Congress truly wanted to give strength to OBCs both politically and economically.

"If you can't do it, quit, we will do it. Until we (Congress) come to power, we will put all the required pressure on the Modi government with our OBC and reservation-related demands," he added.

Alleging that the BJP and RSS were attacking Basavanna's ideals, the Congress leader said: "They are spreading hatred and violence in Hindustan, and they are taking away money from poor and weaker sections of people and giving it to two or three rich people," he added.

Expressing confidence that the Congress would win the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka with absolute majority, bagging at least 150 of the total 224 seats, he urged the people to ensure that this happened, so that the ruling BJP would not resort to "buying" of MLAs after the polls, to "manufacture the mandate in its favour, by using the money it has earned through corruption while in power".

The former AICC president said that the BJP, which ran a "40 per cent commission government", would not get even 40 seats in the elections.

AICC general secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (in-charge of Karnataka), KPCC working president and candidate from Bhalki Assembly seat Eshwar Khandre were among those present, while at the Humnabad public meeting they were joined by incumbent MLA and candidate Rajashekar B Patil.

Armed with conviction that the Congress would come to power, Gandhi said that the party after forming the government, would at its first cabinet meeting take a decision on implementing its poll guarantees.

The Congress party has announced four poll 'guarantees' --- 200 units of free power for all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance for the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), and Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi), on coming to power in the state.