Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing an OBC-focused public meeting in Delhi on Friday, publicly admitted that failing to push for a caste census earlier was a personal mistake and vowed to correct it by prioritising such surveys in all Congress-ruled states. Speaking at the ‘Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan’ at Talkatora Stadium, Gandhi described the recent caste census in Telangana as a “political earthquake” that would send tremors throughout the country.
Reflecting on his 21-year-long political journey, Gandhi said while he made significant contributions in areas like land acquisition, MGNREGA, and tribal rights, he fell short on safeguarding the interests of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). “I did not understand the OBC issues deeply enough 10–15 years ago,” he admitted, adding, “That is my mistake, not the Congress party’s.”
Gandhi insisted that the upcoming caste censuses would be more detailed and impactful than if they had been conducted earlier. “The caste census in Telangana has shaken the ground beneath Indian politics,” he declared, reiterating that all Congress governments would now implement similar population surveys to assess and rectify the underrepresentation of OBCs in power structures.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said the media had “inflated his image,” claiming Modi was “all show and no substance.” He remarked that the real issue was not Modi but the narrative created around him. “I’ve met him now—there’s nothing there. You’ve put him on a pedestal, but the problem is manufactured,” Gandhi told the crowd.
Gandhi urged OBC youth to recognize their collective strength and called the RSS their “biggest enemy” for allegedly erasing their historical legacy. He emphasized that a caste census would be a crucial step in empowering the OBC population by revealing stark gaps in corporate, governmental, and social representation.
Referring to the Telangana data, Gandhi said the survey showed that while SC, ST, and OBC communities were prevalent in schemes like MGNREGA and gig work, they were virtually absent in top corporate and administrative roles. He described OBCs as the nation’s “productive force”—building roads, hospitals, and infrastructure—yet denied proportional representation in governance.
Concluding his speech, Gandhi committed to removing the 50% cap on reservations and said the Congress party’s mission was rooted in justice, equity, and data-driven representation.
The event witnessed the presence of key Congress leaders including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, and leaders like Sachin Pilot and Anil JaiHind.
