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The political landscape in India is marked by a constant exchange of accusations and counter-accusations, with leaders often targeting each other's stances on crucial issues. The latest salvo in this ongoing battle of words comes from Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, who has leveled a scathing critique against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding his stance on the caste census. Singh, a prominent figure in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has accused Gandhi of hypocrisy and shedding crocodile tears over the issue, highlighting the political maneuverings surrounding the implementation of a caste census in India.
Singh's comments stem from Gandhi's recent call for a caste census, a demand echoed by the INDIA alliance, a conglomeration of opposition parties seeking to challenge the BJP's dominance in the upcoming general elections. Gandhi argues that a caste census is crucial to ensure inclusivity and provide representation for marginalized sections of society. He maintains that despite having the required skills and talent, a significant portion of the population remains excluded from the system due to their caste background. However, Singh refutes this narrative, pointing out that Gandhi's party had previously opposed the caste census when it was conducted in Bihar under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. He claims that the Congress leadership, under pressure from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, failed to pass a resolution supporting the census at that time. Singh's accusations paint Gandhi as a political opportunist, using the issue of caste census for electoral gain without genuine commitment to the cause.
Beyond the contentious debate over the caste census, Singh also weighed in on the recently approved Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), which is set to come into effect from April 1, 2025. The scheme aims to replace the existing National Pension System (NPS) with a unified system, offering benefits such as an increased government contribution and a guaranteed pension. Singh praised the UPS as a positive development, highlighting the government's increased contribution from 14% to 18.5%. He went a step further, urging Congress-ruled states to emulate the model and implement the UPS within their respective territories. This call for a unified pension system, while seemingly unrelated to the caste census debate, serves as a subtle dig at the Congress party, highlighting the BJP's proactive stance on social welfare measures and contrasting it with the Congress' perceived inaction.
The ongoing political spat between the BJP and the Congress over the caste census reflects the broader tensions and disagreements surrounding the issue of caste-based reservations in India. The BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has consistently maintained that the current system of reservations based on caste is sufficient and that further divisions based on sub-castes are unnecessary. Conversely, the Congress and several other opposition parties argue that a caste census is essential to identify the true extent of socio-economic disparities within various caste groups and to implement targeted interventions for their upliftment. This issue is likely to remain at the forefront of Indian politics in the lead up to the 2024 general elections, with both sides using it to mobilize their respective support bases.
Source: 'Rahul Gandhi shedding crocodile tears over caste census': Union minister Lalan Singh