Rahul Gandhi Calls For Removing 50 Per Cent Cap On Reservation For OBC, Releasing Caste Census Data

Rahul Gandhi has called for the removal of the 50 per cent cap on Other Backward Classes' reservation during a campaign in Karnataka's Kolar district.

This is the same place where Gandhi in 2019 made his "Modi surname" remark that led to his conviction recently in a defamation case.

The Congress leader urged the Narendra Modi government to release the caste census data initiated by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2011.

He believes it would highlight the inadequate political representation of marginalised groups like the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Dalits, and adivasis in the country.

"If you see the number of secretaries in the government, only 7 per cent are OBC, adivasis and Dalits. The question is what is the population of OBC, adivasis and Dalits in the country before you talk about the distribution of wealth and political representation," Gandhi said at the rally in Kolar.

"The UPA government started caste-based census in 2011... It is important to know the population of every section to determine their political representation if you want to take everyone along on the path to development," Gandhi said, calling for reservation for Schedulded Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST) to be made proportionate to their population.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had informed the Supreme Court in September 2021 that they oppose a caste-based census, citing it as "administratively difficult and cumbersome." They said it was a "conscious policy decision" to exclude such information.

Gandhi's call for breaching the 50 per cent reservation cap aligns him with several opposition parties, including Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Interestingly, though, it goes against the Congress in Karnataka, as tweeted by Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Karnataka votes on 10 May; three days later, the votes will be counted.