PM doesn't say a word about caste census, says Rahul Gandhi in MP

Rahul Gandhi. Pic/PTI

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday once again reiterated his party's commitment to holding a caste census. The Congress MP also targeted the Prime Minister alleging that the PM doesn't say a word about caste census, reported news agency ANI.

"I told Prime Minister Modi many times to get the caste census conducted across the country. But he doesn't say a word about the caste census. Rather he says that there is no caste in the country. If we come to power in the state, we guarantee that we will conduct a caste census. Everybody needs to know about their strength in the country", Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch.

"The government in the state is run by Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with his 53 officers. Out of those 53 officers, there is only one OBC officer. Can you think how much of the decision-making power rests with him? It is 0.33 per cent. He makes decisions on 0.33 per cent of your total budget. Now look at their population, it is more than 50 per cent. The OBC Class is being denigrated", he added, reported ANI.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state government, Rahul Gandhi said, "PM Modi and CM Shivraj keep claiming that it is the government of the OBCs. They don't assign any task to that one OBC officer".

The opposition MPs of the newly established I-N-D-I-A bloc have been demanding a caste census throughout the country claiming that it would be conducive to policy-making for different groups in society according to their population.

On the other hand, the BJP-led central government has been claiming that the caste census would create "division" in society.

Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government has announced to conduct a caste census in the state, if voted to power.

Madhya Pradesh is set to undergo polls on November 17 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3. Voters will choose legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.

The last state assembly polls in 2018 saw the Congress coming to power, with veteran leader Kamal Nath taking oath as the chief minister. Nonetheless, a political upheaval rocked the state in 2020 after then-Congressman Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with 22 loyalist MLAs, switched over to the saffron camp.

The Congress government fell after being reduced to a minority and the BJP formed the government, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning as chief minister.

(With inputs from ANI)