Patna (Bihar) [India], January 18 : Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi lashed out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, calling the state's caste census a "fake" one.
Speaking at the 'Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan' in Patna, the Congress MP said, "Caste census should be conducted to understand the true situation of the nation. It will not be like the fake caste census that has been conducted in Bihar...A policy should be made based on the caste census...Congress will pass the caste census in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. We will demolish the barrier of 50 per cent reservations..."
Targeting the BJP, he said, "When they came to know that the people from the backward community, Dalits are taking the representation, they gave you the representation but took away the power. The power has been given to Ambani, Adani and RSS. They put their people in every organisation...", he alleged.
Earlier, the Caste Census was conducted in Bihar under the JDU-RJD-Congress alliance headed by CM Nitish Kumar.
Rahul Gandhi also continued his attack on the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's reported remarks about not considering August 15, 1947, as the day of independence.
The Congress MP accused the RSS chief of downplaying the ideology of BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi from every institution in India. He also advocated for the ideology of the Constitution.
He said,"...We wanted that just like the water of Ganga flows everywhere, the ideology of the Constitution should also reach every person, every institution of the nation."
"Some days ago, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat said that India did not get independence on 15th Aug 1947. If RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat is saying that India did not get independence on 15th August 1947, then he is rejecting the Constitution of India...He (RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat) is erasing the ideology of Dr BR Ambedkar, Lord Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi from every institution in India...," the Rae Bareli MP said.
He also said that the Constitution does not allow the concentration of wealth in the hands of a minority of people.
"Where is it written in this book (Constitution of India) that all of the wealth of India should only go into the hands of two to three people...," he said.
Targeting the BJP, Rahul Gandhi said, "In today's India, the MLAs and MPs have no power. When I meet the BJP MPs who belong to the backward community, Dalits, and tribals, they say that we have been put in a cage."
Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state comes at a time when the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants' protests are in full swing.
On Monday, Mohan Bhagwat said that India witnessed true independence on the day of Ram Temple's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
The remarks sparked a swift response from the opposition leaders.