NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday announced that if his party wins the election and comes to power, they will immediately conduct a caste census throughout the country. He also said they will fill 30 lakh government jobs and start apprenticeships for young people.
Addressing an election rally in a village in Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, Rahul Gandhi characterised the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a battle between two ideologies.He framed it as a contest between those striving to safeguard the Constitution and those intent on undermining it.
“Fight between two ideologies in Lok Sabha polls; between those seeking to protect Constitution and those out to destroy it,” he said.
He further took aim at the Modi-led government, claiming that President Droupadi Murmu was stopped from participating in the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony due to her tribal identity.
“BJP and RSS have been attacking religion, ideology and history of tribals,” Wayanad MP added.
“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.
Rahul Gandhi explained that ‘adivasi’ means tribal people have rights to water, forests, and land, while ‘vanvasi’ refers to those who live in the jungle.
He accused the BJP and RSS of attacking tribal religion, beliefs, and history. He also criticized the BJP for giving tribal lands to rich people.
Gandhi also claimed that under PM Modi, 22 rich businessmen earned equal to that of 70 crore Indians.
(With inputs from agencies)