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Priyanka Gandhi promises caste census in Chhattisgarh if Congress retains power
The Congress’ announcement is being seen as a major move to woo Other Backward Classes (OBC), who account for about 45% of the state’s population
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday promised to hold a caste census in Chhattisgarh if the Congress is once again voted to power.
“If the Congress party is again elected to power in Chhattisgarh, a caste census will be carried out in the state on the lines of a caste survey conducted in Bihar,” she said.
Gandhi was addressing ‘Nagariya Nikaay Evam Panchayati Raj Mahasammlen’, along with chief ministe Bhupesh Baghel, an event of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Friday.
The ruling party’s announcement is being seen as a major move to woo Other Backward Classes (OBC), who account for about 45% of the state’s population.
In her address, Gandhi also promised 10 lakh houses for the poor if their party is re-elected in the upcoming assembly polls, due by the year-end.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress leader said guarantees given by him are just hollow promises.
“What happened to Modi’s guarantee of depositing ₹15 lakh into bank accounts of every citizen and of generating crores of jobs? Whenever a question is asked, Modi ji gives a new guarantee. His guarantees are hollow,” she said.
Gandhi further took a potshot at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that the BJP is for the “rich and has no concern for the poor or the middle class”.
Gandhi said the BJP-led government at the Centre has weakened farmers in the country. Farmers in the country are earning just Rs.27 per day, while Adani and other industrialists are making Rs.1,600 crore per day, she said.
“They (BJP) just want the country’s assets to be handed over to their industrialist friends and then divert those (assets/money) through them to the party. Their only aim is to remain in power and not the welfare of people,” Gandhi alleged.
Speaking on the issue of Naxalism, Gandhi said that the Congress government pulled the Naxalite-affected state out of the clutches of violence after coming to power five years ago.
Responding, Chhattisgarh BJP spokesperson Sachhinand Upasane said the census is only possible when they (Congress) retain power. “They should stop dreaming. Congress will not retain power. We are winning this election,” said Upasane.
The Congress has been demanding a nationwide caste-based census to know the exact number of OBC (Other Backward Class) people living in the country.
In September, Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi promised that the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will conduct a caste census, if voted to power in the upcoming general elections, to determine the actual representation of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
