In run-up to polls, Priyanka promises caste survey in Chhattisgarh if Congress retains power

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said if her party retains power in Chhattisgarh after the upcoming assembly polls, a caste census will be carried out in the state on the lines of a similar exercise conducted in Bihar. Addressing ‘Nagariya Nikaay Evam Panchayati Raj Mahasammlen’, an event of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, she also promised 10 lakh houses for the poor if her party gets elected again in the polls due by the year-end. Hitting out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, Gandhi alleged it is for the rich and has no concern for the poor or the middle class. “If the Congress party is once again elected to power in Chhattisgarh, a caste census will be carried out in the state on the lines of a caste survey conducted in Bihar. I have spoken to (Chief Minister Bhupesh) Baghel ji in this regard,” she said. Citing results of Bihar’s caste survey, Gandhi said 84 per cent of the population of that state comprises people belonging to Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. “Is the strength of people belonging to OBC, SC, ST communities in top posts 84 per cent? Don’t they have rights? Why can’t there be a caste census? It must be carried out,” she said. The ruling party’s announcement is being seen as a major move to woo Other Backward Classes (OBC), who account for about 45 per cent of the state’s population, in run up to the polls. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress leader said guarantees given by him are just hollow promises. “What happened to Modi’s guarantee of depositing Rs 15 lakh into bank accounts of every citizen and of generating crores of jobs? Whenever a question is asked, Modi ji gives a new guarantee. His guarantees are hollow guarantees,” she said. Gandhi said the BJP-led government at the Centre has weakened farmers in the country. Farmers in the country are earning just Rs 27 per day, while Adani and other industrialists are making Rs 1,600 crore per day, she said. “They (BJP) just want the country’s assets to be handed over to their industrialist friends and then divert them (assets/money) through them to the party. And then they keep on spending (money) in elections. Their only aim is to remain in power, not the welfare of people,” Gandhi alleged. The Congress leader claimed the PM had procured two aircraft at a cost of Rs 8,000 crore each, and had spent Rs 20,000 core on the new Parliament building as well as Rs 27,000 crore for the Yashobhoomi (international convention) complex. “But when you talk about the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), he says there is no money. There is money for industrialist friends but not for you (citizens). Do you want such a CM (in the state) who takes your assets and gives you nothing? The BJP government is for the rich and is not concerned about the poor and middle class,” she told the gathering. Gandhi said the BJP misleads people with religion and issues linked to public sentiments when topics like OPS and caste census are discussed, adding the party’s only aim was to hold on to power and not welfare of citizens. She said her grandmother Indira Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, her father Rajiv Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi had been in constant touch with the people of Bastar, due to which a relationship was established between them. The Bhupesh Baghel government is taking forward this tradition and legacy (of engaging with people of Bastar to bring about development of the region), Gandhi said. She hit out at the previous Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh (2003-2018) and claimed there was rule of violence in the state during the BJP regime. After coming to power five years ago, the Congress pulled the Naxalite-affected state out of the clutches of violence, Gandhi said. She said the Baghel government has worked for the welfare of the poor, backwards, tribals and women, adding it was the Congress which brought in 33 per cent reservation for women in panchayat bodies as well as MNREGA. The powers of panchayats have been curtailed in BJP-ruled states, while Congress governments are working to empower people by ensuring their rights, Gandhi said. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress government has implemented Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and given powers to people and strengthened democracy, she added. “When you assess state governments of our party and BJP, you will understand what the Congress governments have been doing. You will see a lot of difference between Congress-ruled states and those (BJP-ruled) states. Our government has fulfilled its promises,” she told the gathering. The PM says farmers of Chhattisgarh are getting maximum return for paddy because of him, which shows his intention of wanting to take credit for the state government’s work, Gandhi claimed. “I want to ask the PM why farmers in his (Lok Sabha) constituency Varanasi are getting Rs 1200-Rs 1400 (per quintal) for paddy,” Gandhi said.