Accusing discrimination against Dalits and other backward classes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ram Rajya, former Congress president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Centre has failed to generate enough employment opportunities for the downtrodden constituting "90 per cent of the population," in the country, news agency PTI reported.
Accusing discrimination against Dalits and other backward classes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ram Rajya, former Congress president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Centre has failed to generate enough employment opportunities for the downtrodden constituting "90 per cent of the population," in the country, news agency PTI reported.
The former Congress president was addressing a public meeting at the Ghantaghar intersection of Kanpur during his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.'
"What kind of Ram Rajya is this where … backward classes, Dalits, tribals and minorities, who constitute about 90 per cent of the total population, cannot get jobs," Rahul Gandhi said.
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"Fifty per cent of the population in the country belongs to backward classes, 15 per cent are Dalits, 8 per cent are tribals and 15 per cent are minorities. Shout as much as you want but you can't get employment in this country. If you belong to backward, Dalit, tribal or poor general category then you cannot get a job. Narendra Modi does not want you people to get jobs," Gandhi added.
Highlighting the class and caste divide in the country, the former Congress president expressed concerns that the Dalits and backward classes lack representation in media, big industries, and the bureaucracy. He also drew attention to the hunger-related deaths in the country.
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"You saw the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. How many people were from backward classes, and how many were Dalits and tribals? The tribal president (Droupadi Murmu) was also not invited. Dalit former President (Ramnath Kovind) was also not allowed inside," he alleged.
Retorting the demand for a caste census, Gandhi said such a survey could help reveal the backward classes' well-being in the country and how much money they have.
"We have said that the biggest revolutionary step for the progress of India is caste-wise census," he added.
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The member of parliament from Wayanad also alleged that the majority of the country's wealth is in the hands of two-three per cent of the population. "Two-three per cent people are ruling you. These people are the Maharajas of the new India," he said.
The Congress leader also criticised the Modi government for several of its decisions, including demonetisation, GST, and Agniveer scheme.
"Sometimes your papers get leaked, sometimes you are fired from the job, GST is imposed on you, demonetisation is imposed, your government recruitment is not done. The way for you to join the army has also been closed by them (Modi government) through Agniveer Yojna," he said.