Congress to conduct caste census if voted to power at Centre: Rahul Gandhi in Chhattisgarh

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said if his party is voted to power at the Centre, it will immediately conduct a caste census in the country. Addressing an election rally at Bastar village Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, he described the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a fight between two ideologies involving those seeking to protect the Constitution and those out to destroy it.

He also attacked the Narendra Modi-led government and said President Droupadi Murmu was prevented from attending the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya as she is a tribal, and it reflects the Bharatiya Janata Party's mentality.

The rally was held in support of Congress' candidate from Scheduled Tribe-reserved Bastar Lok Sabha seat Kawasi Lakhma.


"Modi ji has been trying to change the word 'adivasi'. We call you (tribals) adivasi, but they use the term 'vanvasi'. There is a huge difference between vanvasi and adivasi terms'¦," he said.

The word 'adivasi' has a deep meaning. The word expresses your rights on jal, jungle, zameen (water, forest, land), while vanvasi means those who live in the jungle, he said.

The Congress leader said the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been attacking religion, ideology and history of tribals. BJP has been giving your lands to billionaires, he added.

"The President of India was prevented from attending the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya because she is a tribal. Modiji gave this message to the country and this is their thinking," he said.

Highlighting the poll promise of Congress, Gandhi said, "We will conduct a caste census immediately after coming to power. We will undertake recruitment to 30 lakh vacant government posts, start apprenticeships for youth if voted to power," he added.

Gandhi also claimed that under PM Modi's rule, 22 businessmen accumulated wealth equal to that of 70 crore Indians.