Congress will remove 50% ceiling on quota, waive farm loans if voted to power: Rahul in MP

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday (May 6) assured voters that his party will remove the Supreme Court-mandated 50 per cent ceiling on reservation and increase quota for those from Dalit, backward and tribal communities, if it is voted to power.

Stating that the election this time is a battle to save the Constitution from the hands of the BJP and the RSS, who he alleged want to change it, Rahul said while the Constitution gives people rights over water, forest and land, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to remove these rights.

“That is why they gave the ‘400 seats’ slogan. But forget 400, they are not getting 150 seats. They say they will remove reservation. I want to tell you from this stage, we will increase reservation beyond the 50 per cent cap. We will give as much reservation as needed for the poor, the backwards, Dalits and advisasis,” Rahul said while addressing a poll rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam.

Pitch for caste census

Reiterating his pitch for a caste census, the Congress leader said the poor representation of Dalits, tribals and backward communities in decisive posts and jobs is what keeps them on the margins. 

“Your children are raped, your land is snatched, but media does not report. There is a reason. There are no adivasis in these media companies,” he said.

Pointing to the poor representation of the backward classes in bureaucracy, he said only a caste census can bring parity to the same.

Stating at 90-odd bureaucrats run the country’s government, he said only one among the 90 is an Adivasi, while three are from backward classes and as many from the Dalit community.

“Your people are neither in the media nor the corporate world. We want to change this. This is why we have decided to carry out a caste census and an economic survey,” he said.

Farm loans will be waived: Rahul

In another rally in Khargone, Rahul promised that the loans of farmers will be waived and the daily allowance under the MGNREGA scheme will be raised from ₹250 to ₹400 as soon as the Congress forms government.

“Soon after coming to power at the Centre, the Congress government will waive loans of farmers and raise the MGNREGA allowance from ₹250 to ₹400 per day," he said.

Congress has fielded Porlal Kharte and Narendra Patel from Khargone (ST) and Khandwa Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively.

"This election is being fought for saving the Constitution, reservations, and also the Jal, Jungle, and Jameen of tribal people, and public sector," he said.

“Prime Minister Modi wants to give all these things to 22-25 billionaires including Adani,” he alleged.

He said the INDIA bloc government will deposit ₹1 lakh into the accounts of poor women to make them lakhpatis.