#rahul gandhi on caste census

[uniqueeval]

Top news of the day: August 25, 2024

Jalgaon rally: PM Modi vows stricter laws against crimes on women Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 25 said his government is reinforcing laws to impose stricter punishments for crimes against women. “I assure you, the Central Government is with the State Governments in every way to stop atrocities against women. Speaking at a Lakhpati Didi — women members of self-help groups who are earning…

[4rtheyenews]

राहुल गांधी ने जातिगत जनगणना को बताया क्रांतिकारी कदम, राजनीति में आएगा बड़ा बदलाव

भारत जोड़ो न्याय यात्रा के तहत राहुल गांधी आज शक्ति जिले में पहुंचे हुए थे,इस दौरान अग्रसेन चौक में हुए आमसभा में राहुल गांधी ने प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी के जाति पर सवाल खड़ा करते हुए कहा कि नरेंद्र मोदी नहीं चाहते कि देश में जातिगत जनगणना हो क्योंकि इससे पिछड़े एवं निचली जाति के लोगों को उनकी संख्या का पता चल जाएगा और वह अपने हक की लड़ाई के लिए खड़े होंगे। उन्होंने कहा कि जिस तरह से देश में…

[metamatar]

anurag thakur (mp most known for "goli maaron saalon ko" tr: shoot them [protestors] down) yesterday addresses rahul gandhi in parliament with "jiski jaat ka pata nahi wo ganna ki baat kar raha hai" (tr: he whose caste we don't know dares ask us to count caste) on the requests for a caste census. love the implications – mixed caste marriages (his mother was an italian) leave you casteless or that children of intercaste marriages should have no right to speak on caste or that only if your caste identity is recognisable (something dalit people go lengths to obscure) do you deserve space in public discourse on caste.

modi endorsed this message. tell me again how modi is obc and hindutva is aligned with a new anti caste politics. mixed caste marriages lead to honour killings in this country. intercaste marriage and dining have been central to the public repudiation of casteism bc it relies on caste endogamy and untouchability!

[6nikhilum6]

Rahul Gandhi Claims No Dalit, Tribal, or OBC Women Among Miss India Winners or Top Media Anchors

Now he wants SC, ST, OBC & Minority reservation in Bollywood and Miss India competition! God save the country pic.twitter.com/k1oYQwO4px — Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) August 24, 2024 He clarified that his push for a caste census is not politically motivated but is aimed at addressing the socioeconomic disparities faced by the majority of India’s population. Despite potential political…

[breakingnewsnavigator]

Rahul Gandhi Condemns Nirmala Sitharaman’s Reaction to Caste Census Proposal | Latest Political News

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[taaza-khabar]

'Exposing Dirty Politics...': PM Modi Weighs In After Anurag Thakur Vs Rahul Gandhi In Parliament Over Caste Census

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Anurag Thakur’s speech “perfect mix of facts and humour, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI alliance” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday praised BJP leader Anurag Thakur’s speech in the Lok Sabha, wherein the former Union minister made a political counter to the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi’s address. PM Modi termed Thakur’s speech a…

[tfgadgets]

Rahul Gandhi vs Anurag Thakur Over Caste Remark

Akhilesh Yadav, who is an ally of the Congress, asked how a person could bring up anyone’s caste. New Delhi: A debate over the demand for a caste census, which has been spearheaded by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, took a personal turn in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday when BJP MP Anurag Thakur said those whose caste is unknown are calling for an enumeration. While Mr Thakur did not take any…

[warningsine]

This year’s general election in India arguably brought up more questions about the fairness of the electoral process than any other in the country’s history.

For example, in December, a bill was passed in India’s parliament that allowed election commissioners to be appointed by a panel dominated by the executive branch, which many feared would endanger free and fair elections.

And during the campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a string of speeches that were widely seen as Islamophobic, in which he accused the opposition Congress Party of favouring Muslims. The Election Commission failed to adequately enforce the Model Code of Conduct when it came to these comments.

Opposition chief ministers, Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Hemant Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), meanwhile, were arrested on charges of corruption. Both parties claimed the charges were politically motivated.

One of the lessons from the election, however, is that even when there are questions about how free and fair a vote is, opposition parties can dent the dominance of ruling parties.

In India’s election, the opposition presented a united front and stuck to a consistent message reflecting specific issues of voter discontent.

Why caste politics were so important

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party did not perform as well as expected in the election, suffering major losses in its heartland northern Indian states. Modi began the six-week election campaign saying his party would win more than 400 seats. Ultimately, it was reduced to 240 seats, while the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) won 232 seats.

INDIA had a shaky start to the election. A founding member, the Janata Dal, joined Modi’s coalition earlier this year. INDIA also failed to reach a seat-sharing agreement with another member, Trinamool Congress (TMC), although that party remained part of the alliance.

Yet, as the campaign wore on, the BJP’s attacks on the opposition led to a more united front, focusing particularly on the issue of caste.

Indian society and politics are stratified by its caste system. It has roots in ancient religious texts, which grant symbolic and material rights and privileges to people based on their membership to a particular caste.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s speeches highlighted a commitment to protecting the Constitution and addressing the issue of caste-based injustice in India. He pledged to undertake a caste census to reveal the extent of disadvantage and concentration of wealth in society.

He also pointed out the government’s centralisation of power, as well as the upper caste-dominated media’s adulation of Modi and its inattention to issues of unemployment and inflation.

Lalu Prasad Yadav, a leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party, which is also part of the INDIA coalition, warned the BJP intended to change the Constitution to end caste-based affirmative action. Though this was denied by Modi, the allegation seemed to strike a chord with voters.

Caste presented a dilemma for Modi’s Hindu nationalist politics, which valorises upper-caste Hindu practices and behaviours, while relying on support from the lower caste majority to win elections.

The BJP had sought to ameliorate this tension by promoting welfare schemes and accusing the secular opposition of colluding with Muslims to deprive the Hindu lower-caste poor.

In the lead-up to the election, Modi also claimed to have replaced traditional forms of caste stratification with four new castes of welfare “beneficiaries” – women, farmers, the youth and the poor.

In truth, however, the government’s welfare schemes consisted of paltry cash transfers, small loans, food rations and subsidies for private goods like toilets, which sought to compensate for the stagnation of incomes and lack of jobs. Spending on health and education by Modi’s government, which could have transformative effects on society, has languished.

The BJP’s infrastructure-driven economic program has benefited large companies, leading to accusations of crony capitalism. It has also failed to attract substantial foreign investment or grow the manufacturing sector to create more jobs.

Over the past decade – but particularly following the COVID pandemic – India has also become one of the world’s most unequal countries. Women, Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims have fared the worst.

Dalit politicians also grew in prominence

Perhaps the biggest surprise for the BJP were its heavy losses in its heartland state, Uttar Pradesh.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) had previously dominated Uttar Pradesh politics by promoting the interests of particular lower caste “other backward classes”. This tactic, however, generated resentment among other lower castes, which was exploited by the BJP to win power in 2017.

In this election, the SP appears to have fashioned a new, broader caste coalition.

This election also saw new shifts in Dalit politics, the lowest rung of the caste structure in India. In Uttar Pradesh, new Dalit political parties became increasingly prominent, such as the Azad Party led by Chandra Sekhar Azad.

Further south, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) consolidated its status as the largest Dalit party in Tamil Nadu, winning all the seats it contested.

The future of Indian democracy

Indian democracy is not out of the woods yet. Activists, students, political leaders and journalists remain imprisoned.

The Hindu nationalist movement also has a history of inciting communal violence when things do not go its way in the electoral arena.

The Modi government started to extend its media censorship during the election, as well.

There is little to suggest that Modi will temper what many see as authoritarian tendencies, but there is now more resistance, scepticism and political alternatives that will hopefully aid India’s democratic recovery.

[internationalnewz]

Chhattisgarh poll: PM Modi's vote appeal as Rahul Gandhi reminds voters of Congress guarantees

In the first phase of Chhattisgarh’s 90-seat assembly election, held amidst stringent security measures involving police and paramilitary forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made their respective appeals to the electorate.

Prime Minister Modi took to social media to encourage Chhattisgarh’s voters to participate in this sacred festival of democracy. He specifically congratulated the state’s young voters who were casting their ballots for the first time, emphasizing the importance of their participation in this electoral process.

Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, also appealed to Chhattisgarh’s voters, reminding them of the trustworthy government his party promises. He highlighted the Congress’s guarantees to the state, which include farmers’ loan waivers, the purchase of 20 quintals of paddy per acre, financial assistance of ₹10,000 per year to landless individuals, a minimum support price of ₹3,200 for paddy, and bonuses for tendu leaves and tendu patta, among other benefits. He reassured voters that the Congress would deliver on these promises.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel released the Congress party’s manifesto, titled ‘Bharose ka Ghoshna Patra 2023–28,’ pledging to conduct a caste census and provide a ₹500 subsidy on gas cylinders if the party comes to power.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge encouraged voters, especially the youth, to participate in the electoral process, expressing confidence in fair governance and the preservation of democratic values.

Voting in the first phase commenced under heavy security, particularly in the Maoist-affected Bastar division. Polling took place from 7 am to 3 pm in ten assembly constituencies and from 8 am to 5 pm in the remaining ten seats in this phase. Unfortunately, a CRPF commando was injured in an IED blast triggered by Maoists in Sukma district while conducting security operations for the elections.

A total of 223 candidates, including 25 women, contested in these 20 seats, with 40,78,681 eligible voters as per electoral rolls. The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP were the main contenders for power in the state.

The remaining 70 seats are scheduled to vote on November 17 in the second and final phase, with the vote count set for December 3.

[blogynews]

"Surprising Twist: OBC Domination Evident as BJP Trailing Behind with Only 6 Candidates in Ujjain Div"

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Although Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is advocating for justice for OBCs through a nationwide caste census, the party has only nominated OBC candidates in 30% of the 29 assembly constituencies of Ujjain Division. In contrast, the BJP, which had an OBC Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh back in 2003, has only allotted 20% of the seats in the division to candidates from that…

[blogynewz]

"Surprising Twist: OBC Domination Evident as BJP Trailing Behind with Only 6 Candidates in Ujjain Div"

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Although Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is advocating for justice for OBCs through a nationwide caste census, the party has only nominated OBC candidates in 30% of the 29 assembly constituencies of Ujjain Division. In contrast, the BJP, which had an OBC Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh back in 2003, has only allotted 20% of the seats in the division to candidates from that…

[amnindia]

All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters here, party leader Rahul Gandhi said, "We are in discussion. We are very clear what our

[sunitatripathi2]

Caste census: X-ray of poverty: Rahul Gandhi

[indianflash123]

Caste Census Ignites Political Debates

On October 2nd, the Bihar government unveiled the findings of its comprehensive caste census, conducted in defiance of New Delhi’s opposition.  For the first time in India’s history, a state has published caste-based population data. The issue has taken centre stage in the political arena, with prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, getting involved. SUPREME…