Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi blamed his own party’s policies regarding Dalit politics. He said that if Congress had taken the right steps earlier, Dalits wouldn’t have gone away.
New Delhi: Without naming names, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi blamed Congress’s policies for the rise and strengthening of parties associated with the Dalit vote bank, including the Bahujan Samaj Party. Addressing the party’s Scheduled Castes Department meeting at Congress headquarters on Monday, Rahul Gandhi said that if Congress had taken the right steps for Dalits in the 1980s and 1990s, caste-based regional parties would not have formed, nor would the Dalit community have turned to them. Promoting a message of change, Rahul Gandhi further stated that Dalits will now play a key role in the Congress party.
Sources present at the meeting revealed that Rahul Gandhi praised BSP founder Kanshi Ram, saying that he united the Dalit community and instilled self-confidence in them.
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi stated in the meeting that the BJP is, on the one hand, eliminating regional parties and, on the other, snatching away the rights of Dalits. Atrocities against Dalits are increasing. In such a situation, Congress will fight for the rights of Dalits, and Dalits will play a key role in the party. Congress will fulfill the dreams of Baba Saheb Ambedkar.
Why is Rahul saying this?
A year ago, Rahul Gandhi publicly stated that Congress neglected the OBC community. He apologized for this. Now, Rahul has made similar statements about the Dalit community.
Indeed, through this, Rahul is trying to gain influence among the Dalit and backward communities. During the last Lok Sabha elections, he held rallies holding a copy of the Constitution and claimed that the Constitution is in danger under the Modi government. It is believed that this benefited the Congress and India alliance among the Dalit community. Rahul Gandhi demanded a caste census for the OBC community. This doubled the Congress’s seat count in the Lok Sabha.
Also read: Controversy erupts over the appointment of the Kerala CM’s secretary; the opposition claims Rahul Gandhi would have protested if this had happened in Bengal.
There’s a connection to the UP elections!
With the UP Assembly elections in mind, Rahul Gandhi appears to be intensifying his campaign for Dalits and backward classes.
Last week, he unveiled a statue of freedom fighter Veera Pasi, a Dalit, in his constituency of Rae Bareli and addressed a Bahujan Sabha.
A day earlier, Congress Scheduled Caste Department President Rajendra Pal Gautam of Lucknow unsuccessfully attempted to meet Mayawati at her home.
How successful Rahul Gandhi’s move to admit his past mistakes regarding Dalits and now give them a key role in the party will be will only be clear in the elections.
Reported by: Jainendra Kumar, Edited by: Priyank Dwivedi
Courtesy: Hindi News