New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the BJP and RSS of disrespecting BR Ambedkar and undermining the Constitution he drafted. Gandhi urged Congress workers to stand firm in defending the Constitution against the ruling party’s alleged actions.
Speaking at the “Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan” rally, Gandhi said that the Congress would conduct a nationwide caste census after coming to power at the Centre. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for avoiding the exercise, saying that Modi fears its implications. Gandhi further said that the Congress is committed to surpassing the 50 per cent cap on reservations and will introduce legislation in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to achieve this goal.
BJP favours billionaires: Gandhi
Targeting the BJP-led government, Gandhi said that it serves the interests of billionaires while neglecting Dalits, backward communities, tribals and the underprivileged. He accused the ruling dispensation of creating conditions akin to slavery by reducing job opportunities and concentrating wealth in the hands of a few crony capitalists.” The BJP and RSS are striving to recreate a pre-independence era where the poor have no rights, and power rests solely with the wealthy,” he said.
Gandhi also said that the BJP-RSS is attempting to alter Ambedkar’s Constitution. He linked this to their “400 paar” slogan during the last Lok Sabha elections, suggesting it reflects their intent to undermine constitutional protections for marginalised groups. “The day the Constitution is changed, the backward classes, Dalits, and tribals will lose everything,” Gandhi said at the rally.
‘Government fails on economy’
Gandhi also criticised the government over rising petrol prices, despite decreasing international rates. He said that the BJP-RSS wants to revert to a pre-independence era where the poor had no rights. Gandhi also highlighted unemployment, citing IIM and IIT graduates struggling to find jobs and lack of representation for marginalised communities in key decision-making roles
