After saying Congress will 'scrap reservations,' a clarification by Rahul
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has clarified that his recent statement calling for the scarpping of reservations in India was misrepresented. The clarification came amid a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) uproar over his speech in the United States. "Yesterday someone misquoted me as saying that I'm against reservation... we will take reservation beyond the limit of 50%," he said during an interview at the National Press Club in the US.
Gandhi advocates for reservation extension
During an interaction with students at Georgetown University on Tuesday, Gandhi had stated that the Congress would consider scrapping reservations only when India reaches a "fair place." "When you look at the financial numbers, then tribals get 10 paise out of 100 rupees; Dalits get 5 rupees out of 100 rupees, and OBCs get a similar number. The fact of the matter is that they're not getting participation," Gandhi said.
Gandhi addresses caste census and democracy in India
Gandhi also addressed the issue of caste representation in India's institutional structure. He asserted that the caste census is now an "unstoppable idea." In addition, he expressed concerns about the state of democracy in India, stating that it has been under attack for the past 10 years but is now fighting back. He criticized the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP for their policies, accusing them of promoting a hierarchy among states, languages, religions, and communities.
Gandhi criticizes BJP and RSS policies
He further claimed that the BJP lacks an "understanding" of India. "India is called a union of states... They say this is not a union. These are separate things," he said. Gandhi's statements in the US have sparked criticism from BJP leaders back home. Union Minister Amit Shah labeled his remarks as "anti-national" and accused him of habitually making such statements that "threaten the nation's security and hurt sentiments."
