New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) The Congress on Tuesday again batted for a nationwide caste census saying that it will lay a strong foundation for development of the country and also sought return to the ballot paper voting system in elections to save democracy.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi while addressing the Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyaan at Talkatora Stadium here, said caste census is necessary to give justice to the oppressed and the party will continue to fight for it till it is passed in Parliament.
They accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of favouring a few selected industrialists and increasing their wealth manifold. Everyone in the country should get equal opportunities, everyone should get rights according to their participation, for this caste census is necessary and the Congress-led Telangana government has already started this historic exercise.
Congress president Kharge while hitting out at the BJP over the elections in the country, demanded a return to the ballot paper voting system.
“We don’t want elections through EVMs. We want elections through ballot papers. Just like we had carried out the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, we will run a nationwide campaign for elections using ballot papers,” Kharge said.
The Congress president said his party’s demand for caste census has increased PM Modi’s fears.
He said, “Some people praise the Constitution, bow to it, and show devotion towards it. But deep inside, they want to abolish the Constitution. Rahul Gandhi had also started ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ to save democracy and Constitution. In this journey the people of the country joined him and people from every section of the society came with him”.
Kharge said, “The Constitution was not made just like that, the Congress Party worked very hard to prepare it. Babasaheb Ambedkar ji had an important contribution in making it. Many people think that it was made easily, whereas the members of the Constituent Assembly discussed day and night, all members together used to discuss each point in detail, and Babasaheb Ambedkar ji would reply to their queries”.
He said that if BJP really wants unity in the country, then it will have to give up hatred, but Modi always talks about spreading hatred and blames the Congress. Whereas, the truth is that Congress made the Constitution to keep the country united and give equal rights.
“If political parties put religion above country our freedom will again be endangered or possibly lost forever. We must all counter this eventuality with determination,” the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi said, “The Constitution is not just a book, it is the thinking of India for thousands of years. It is a book of truth and non-violence. It has the voices of great people like Gandhiji, Ambedkarji, Lord Buddha, (Savitri) Phuleji, but there is no voice of (Veer Damodar) Savarkarji.
“It is not written anywhere in the constitution that… -violence must be used – kill or intimidate someone – Government should be run by telling lies.”
Hailing the caste census exercise in Telangana, Rahul said, “A few days ago we started the work related to caste census in Telangana. The questions being asked in this have been decided jointly by the Dalits, backwards and poor people of the state. Meaning, the people of Telangana have designed the census. This is a historic step. Wherever we have a government, we will conduct caste census using this pattern”.
