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Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party on Saturday, accusing it of misleading the public on the issue of the caste census.
The Minister said that the Congress and the INDI Alliance should publicly present their roadmap to provide reservations for all castes, allowing an open debate on this issue across the country. Addressing separate public gatherings at two 'Jan Aashirwad Sabhas' in Jharkhand's Khunti and Chatra districts, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader urged voters to demand clarity from Congress leaders on their approach to caste-based reservation. He encouraged the audience to ask Congress leaders for a detailed roadmap of their plans to implement caste-based reservation, questioning how they would ensure its execution. "The Congress party is misleading people in the name of caste-based reservation. Their leaders should be asked what arrangements they will make for reservations for different castes. They should not be given support until they provide an answer," Singh said, questioning Congress' motives behind the caste census and expressing concerns about whose reservations might be impacted. Singh also called for an explanation from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on the party's blueprint for reservation and welfare for the numerous castes in India. "What does Congress intend to achieve by opening the box of caste, and whose reservation does it want to cut? I want to ask Congress President Kharge Ji what blueprint or roadmap he has for the welfare of thousands and lakhs of castes and for providing them with reservations," Singh stated. Singh noted that Congress leaders frequently demand a caste-based census, reminding them of the socio-economic caste census conducted in 2011, which identified nearly 46 lakh castes, sub-castes, and gotras. "Congress leaders are claiming that once they come to power, they will conduct a caste census to determine the total number of castes in India. I want to remind Congress members that a socio-economic caste census was conducted in 2011, which identified nearly 46 lakh castes, sub-castes, and gotras. The numbers were so vast that those who prepared the report decided not to make it public," Singh said. According to the Ministry of Social Welfare, there were over 1,200 Scheduled Castes, around 750 Scheduled Tribes, and approximately 2,500 OBC castes, Singh added, questioning Congress's motives: "By opening this 'box of caste,' who does Congress intend to benefit?" "Congress ruled this country for 50 years--why didn't they previously consider a caste-based census and provide reservation benefits based on caste? I want to ask Congress President Kharge Ji: with thousands and lakhs of castes, what is your plan, blueprint, or roadmap for their welfare? The people of this country deserve to know. With millions of castes, sub-castes, and gotras, how will you provide reservation benefits, and how much reservation will each caste receive?" he questioned. "You talk about a caste census and providing reservations based on it. What is your plan for that? Congress and the INDIA Alliance should bring this plan forward so we can have an open debate in the country. We aim to uplift the person at the lowest rung of society, to support their development, and to end their poverty and backwardness. We have taken several steps in this direction, but what has Congress done? They have only impoverished India," said the Defence Minister ahead of the Assembly elections in Jharkhand. Jharkhand will vote in two phases, with 43 constituencies going to the polls on November 13, and 38 constituencies on November 20. The votes for both phases will be counted on November 23. Jharkhand has a total of 81 Assembly constituencies across 24 districts. Of these, 44 are general, 28 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and nine for Scheduled Castes (SC). In the last assembly polls in 2019, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won 47 seats, while the BJP dropped to 25 seats from the 37 it held in 2014.(ANI)
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