Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing the ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ in Kolhapur on Saturday, emphasized the urgent need to remove the existing 50% cap on reservations to safeguard the Indian Constitution. He vowed that the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties, would ensure the passage of laws to this effect in Parliament.
Holding a copy of the Constitution, Gandhi declared it a symbol of the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He criticized the BJP-led government, accusing them of undermining the Constitution and destroying institutions while invoking Shivaji’s name. “There is no point in bowing before Shivaji Maharaj after scaring the people and destroying the Constitution,” Gandhi stated, taking a jab at Prime Minister Modi and his government.
During his second visit to western Maharashtra in a month, Gandhi reiterated the commitment of the Congress and the INDIA bloc to introduce a caste-based census. According to him, the caste census would not only reflect the population size of various communities but also reveal their control over India’s financial system. “Ninety top IAS officers control India’s budget, but only three belong to OBC communities, despite OBCs comprising over 50% of the population,” he noted.
Gandhi also slammed the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for opposing the caste census, accusing them of being fearful of the truth it would reveal about social inequalities. He further charged that the history of marginalized communities, such as Dalits and OBCs, was being erased from school curricula.
The Congress leader also took aim at the government’s Agniveer scheme, calling it an attempt to deprive Indian youth of pensions, compensation, and other benefits traditionally accorded to military personnel. “The Agnipath scheme has stripped 90% of Indian youth from receiving pensions and respect,” Gandhi asserted.
In another event earlier in the day, Gandhi unveiled a statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Kolhapur, where he criticized the state government for the collapse of a statue of the warrior king in Sindhudurg district last August. He claimed that the statue’s collapse symbolized the flawed intentions and ideology of the government. “You cannot destroy the Constitution, attack institutions, scare people, and then bow before Shivaji Maharaj’s statue. If you truly honor Shivaji, you must protect the Constitution,” he said.
The Congress leader drew a parallel between the ideology that opposed Shivaji’s coronation and the current ruling party’s actions, arguing that Congress is continuing the same fight that Shivaji Maharaj fought centuries ago. He stressed that the Constitution embodies Shivaji’s ideals of equality and unity, and it is the responsibility of the nation to uphold them.
Despite protests from BJP workers, who showed black flags in response to Gandhi’s past comments on freedom fighter V D Savarkar, Gandhi remained firm in his criticism of the ruling dispensation.
(With inputs from PTI)