Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that Dalits will now play a central role within the party, attributing the emergence of caste-based regional parties to the Congress’s own policies in previous decades.
Addressing a meeting of the party’s Scheduled Castes Department at Congress headquarters on January 26, Rahul Gandhi said that if the Congress had taken appropriate measures for Dalits during the 1980s and 90s, caste-based regional parties would not have emerged nor would Dalits have gravitated towards them.
Sources present at the meeting reported that Rahul Gandhi praised BSP founder Kanshi Ram for uniting the Dalit community and instilling self-confidence within them.
He remarked that the BJP is simultaneously seeking to dismantle regional parties and stripping Dalits of their rights, leading to an increase in atrocities against Dalits.
Rahul Gandhi affirmed that the Congress will champion Dalit rights and fulfil the dreams of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, asserting that Dalits will occupy a pivotal position in the party.
Just a year ago, Rahul Gandhi had publicly acknowledged that the Congress had neglected the OBC community, offering an apology. Now, he has expressed a similar sentiment concerning the Dalit community.
Through these efforts, Rahul Gandhi appears to be strengthening Congress’s position among Dalit and backward communities. During the recent Lok Sabha elections, he held rallies displaying the Constitution, alleging it was under threat during the Modi government’s tenure.
This strategy is widely believed to have contributed to electoral gains for the Congress and the INDIA alliance among Dalit voters. Rahul Gandhi has also advocated for a caste census regarding the OBC category. Collectively, these initiatives helped double the Congress party’s seat count in the Lok Sabha.
With the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi is intensifying outreach towards Dalit and backward classes. Last week, in his Raebareli constituency, he unveiled a statue of Dalit freedom fighter Veera Pasi and addressed a Bahujan Sabha.
The previous day, Rajendra Pal Gautam, Chairman of the Congress party’s Scheduled Castes Department, unsuccessfully attempted to meet Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow.
It remains to be seen how effective Rahul Gandhi’s strategy of acknowledging past Congress shortcomings on Dalit issues and assigning Dalits a central role will be, with results expected to emerge during the elections.
Courtesy : The News Mill
Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewsmill.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights