PATNA: Congress MP and leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the caste-based survey conducted in Bihar was ‘fake’ and . Addressing workers of Congress at the ‘Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan’ (Save the Constitution conference) in the state capital, Rahul said that the Congress would ensure a nation-wide caste census at all costs. “We will ensure caste census even if we have to incur political losses,” Congress leader said, adding that it would not be like a caste survey conducted in Bihar, which turned out to be ‘fake’. “People of Bihar were befooled in the name of caste-based survey,” he said, referring to a caste-based survey conducted in Bihar in 2022-2023. Reiterating his demand for a nation-wide caste census Rahul said that he would ensure that the census is conducted across the country in the larger interest of people belonging to Dalit, backward, Adivasi and the minority communities. “The survey will throw light on their population and also their participation in bureaucracy, educational institutions and also in private companies,” he added. The Congress leader said that policy of development should be framed on the basis of their population and their socio-economic condition. He alleged that the country’s wealth was in the hands of a select group of people whereas the poor and the farmers were living in wretched conditions. Expressing deep concern over negligible participation of Dalit, Advasi and Backward classes in the private sector, he said that if you go through the list of 500 private companies across the country, none of them at the top position belonged to these categories. He further alleged that MLAs and MPs were devoid of power as the Centre’s 90 senior officers were taking decisions on the budgetary allocations. Rahul said that even BJP MPs privately admitted that they did not have power as everything was being decided by 90 secretary-level officers, controlling the government at the Centre. Out of these senior officers, even 10 per cent of them were not from Dalit, Adivasi, backward class or minority communities even when they comprised 90 per cent of the country’s population. Congress leader said he would ensure at all costs that the caste census was conducted at the national level even if he had to suffer political damage due to it. He also stressed the need for scrapping 50 per cent cap on reservation. He alleged that the Modi government at the centre was trying to change the Constitution but they came with the copies of the Constitution on their heads when people showed them the mirror. Earlier, Rahul met RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at a private hotel in the state capital where the national executive committee meeting of RJD was being held. Tejashwi welcomed Rahul at the gate of the hostel. Both the leaders exchanged pleasantries and left for their destinations.
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