Rahul Gandhi, a member of Congress, expressed regret on Friday that the Other Backward Class (OBC) quota was not included in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Bill that was introduced in 2010.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said, “100 per cent regret hai. This should have been done then. We will get this done.”
Rahul Gandhi demanded that the data from the previous caste census be made available right away and that a new caste census be conducted to count the number of OBCs and other underrepresented groups.
“What is this delay in the census? Caste census should be done now, and the last caste census data should be released at once,” Rahul Gandhi said.
When the Congress party regains power, a caste census will be conducted, he continued, and the nation will then be aware of the total number of OBCs, Dalits, and tribal communities living here. He added that PM Modi frequently mentions OBCs but is unaware of the support being provided for them.
“I spoke of one institution in Parliament, that which runs the Government of India – Cabinet secretary and secretaries… If they work for OBC, then why are only 3 out of 90 secretaries from OBC? How much and what are these OBC officers controlling the country’s budget? I don’t understand that PM Modi speaks of OBCs every day but what did he do for them?”, he said.
He also claimed that OBC MPs had become idols with no real authority.
“I want to find out how many OBCs there are in India and how much participation they get. OBCs should get as much share as the percentage of the population that they form. You ask any BJP MP whether he takes any decision? Participate in law-making? no way. OBC MPs have been made idols, who have no power at all,” he added.
During the Lok Sabha debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill, the Congress leader had mentioned the lower representation of OBCs in the secretary-level positions at the Center. In response, the BJP claimed that it gave OBCs greater representation and that the total number of MPs from the community in the party was higher than that of the Congress.