Rahul to send strong message of caste census to poll-bound states

Hyderabad: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Hyderabad on Tuesday wants to project the launching of caste census by the Telangana Government as the commitment of the Congress party for the welfare of the marginalized sections.

Rahul Gandhi feels that this would have an impact on the ensuing Assembly elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra. The LoP, who will be attending a key meeting on caste census organised by the TPCC, will give guidelines regarding what exactly the AICC was looking at. It may be recalled that Rahul Gandhi has been saying that for the Congress party, the caste census is the foundation of policy making. He is of the strong view that 90 percent of the people in

India despite having the required skill and talent are not connected with the system. During the poll campaign for Assembly elections in Telangana, Rahul Gandhi had given an assurance that the party would take up caste census soon after coming to power.

He feels that no balance of caste equation was being maintained by the BJP-led NDA government at Centre. According to him, out of 90 bureaucrats who run the Union Government only three were OBCs holding insignificant posts and are not part of the major decision-making process.

Meanwhile, the State government is making all-out efforts to avert any possible legal hurdles before starting the process of the Caste Census from Thursday. Party sources said that there will be a select audience in the meeting in which Rahul would participate. Ministers and key party leaders, a few intellectuals, select representatives of different castes, students and youth and leaders from different civic society groups have been invited. The meeting will be held at the Gandhi Ideology Centre in Bowenpally.