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Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress, has delivered a powerful speech in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, advocating for the removal of the 50% cap on reservations in India. During the 'Samvidhan Samman Sammelan,' Gandhi asserted that this move is crucial for safeguarding the Indian Constitution, which he considers a symbol of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's ideals. He accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining the Constitution and destroying institutions while hypocritically invoking Shivaji's name, stating that 'there is no point in bowing before Shivaji Maharaj after scaring the people and destroying the Constitution.'
Gandhi's address further focused on the crucial need for a caste-based census, a commitment shared by the Congress and the INDIA bloc. He argues that such a census will not only provide accurate data on the population size of various communities but also shed light on their financial control in India. He pointed out the stark disparity in the representation of OBC communities within the IAS, despite their significant share of the population, stating that 'Ninety top IAS officers control India’s budget, but only three belong to OBC communities, despite OBCs comprising over 50% of the population.'
Gandhi's speech also targeted the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for their opposition to the caste census, accusing them of fearing the truth it would reveal about social inequalities. He further claimed that the history of marginalized communities, such as Dalits and OBCs, is being erased from school curricula, emphasizing the importance of preserving historical truth. He also launched a scathing attack on the government's Agniveer scheme, calling it an attempt to deprive Indian youth of the pensions, compensation, and benefits traditionally associated with military service, asserting that 'The Agnipath scheme has stripped 90% of Indian youth from receiving pensions and respect.'
In a separate event, Gandhi unveiled a statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Kolhapur, criticizing the state government for the collapse of a statue of the warrior king in Sindhudurg district last August. He interpreted this collapse as a symbol of the government's flawed intentions and ideology, stating that '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.'
Drawing a parallel between the ideology that opposed Shivaji's coronation and the current ruling party's actions, Gandhi claimed that the 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, highlighting the responsibility of the nation to uphold these values. Despite protests from BJP workers who displayed black flags in response to Gandhi's past comments on freedom fighter V D Savarkar, Gandhi remained unwavering in his criticism of the ruling dispensation.
Source: ‘Removal of 50% quota cap necessary to protect the constitution’: Rahul Gandhi in Kolhapur