Speaking in Kolar in poll-bound Karnataka on Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenged the Centre to disclose the raw caste data on other backward classes collected during the socio-economic caste census in 2011 to provide "fair representation" to them. He also said the centre must make efforts to do away with the ceiling of 50% on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court.
Gandhi's comments come days after the BJP launched a campaign against him for insulting OBCs, when he was disqualified as a Lok Sabha MP following his conviction by a court in Surat, Gujarat for his controversial “Modi surname” remark, referring to fugitive Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi. The party had alleged that Gandhi was anti-OBCs.
These statements also assume significance as in Karnataka where the Congress is running an aggressive campaign, the BJP-led State government has tweaked internal quotas in the state, scrapping the 4 percent Muslim quota and extending the Lingayat and Vokkaliga quotas by 2% each, and also made changes in the SC quota of 17% among the three SC (left), SC (right) and SC (touchable) groups. The Congress has called these changes legally untenable.
Gandhi reiterated that it was the UPA government that initiated the socio-economic and caste census in 2011—an exercise undertaken then by the Ministry of Rural Development headed by Jairam Ramesh then, through door-to-door exercises across the country, Gandhi said, "All the data is there. Modiji talks about OBCs. He should make the data public. If you don't do it, it is an insult to OBCs. At least tell the country how many OBCs are here."
"They say I insulted the OBCs. Today I will talk about the OBCs. The biggest question is how much is the population of the community. "If we look at secretaries in top bureaucracy, only 7% of them come from SC, ST, OBC backgrounds. So how many in India are OBCs, dalits or STs. If we talk about the distribution of power or equal representation, we must know the numbers."
The Supreme Court, in the Indra Sawhney case, imposed a cap of 50% on all reservations, but it can be relaxed in exceptional circumstances. "The SC and ST quota should be in proportion to their population. The 50% cap on reservations should also go," Gandhi said.
Many parties such as the SP, RJD, DMK have been demanding a caste census, but the centre has ruled out the possibility. The government earlier has pointed out the problems with the 2011 census alleging as there was no registry of castes, the data now has mistakes by enumerators, leading to an unrealistic number of castes in the country.
Gandhi said the Congress will soon form the government in Karnataka, and the party's guarantees of 200 units free electricity, income support of Rs 2,000 for women heads of households and Rs 3,000 for unemployed graduates and 10 kg free rice monthly will be fulfilled in the first cabinet meeting. Amid speculations of a rift between its leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, Gandhi said, "I am happy that the Congress party is fighting as one in Karnataka. We have to make the party win with a full majority. We must know that the BJP will try its best to not let our government be formed. That is why we must get 150 seats," he said.
"There is a whole list of scams in Karnataka. From teachers to professors to engineers to tractor associations, everyone knows the BJP government is running on 40 percent commission," Gandhi said.
Gandhi was speaking at Kolar, at the very same venue where a speech he delivered in 2019 has led to his disqualification as an MP. The public meeting that was postponed many times was held a day after the Congress released its third list of candidates naming Kothur G Manjunath as its candidate from the seat. The decision ended months of speculation that Siddaramaiah would contest from Kolar.
With the release of its third list of candidates, the Congress has now confirmed its candidates in 209 constituencies in the state, while the BJP has named candidates in 212 assembly constituencies, and the JD(S) has named candidates in 149 constituencies in the state.
Karnataka will go to polls on May 10 with results set to be announced on May 13. The last day for filing nominations is April 20 and the last date for withdrawal is April 24.
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