Rahul attacks Modi's ‘power grab’ bid, hits out centre on delimitation

In a video message, released a day before the constitutional amendment bill related to women's reservation is to be introduced in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said that if the government truly wants to implement women's reservation, it can implement the existing Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Reservation Act) and the delimitation should also be done on the basis of a new census, because it will contain data on the OBC population.

The former Congress president said that his party fully supports women's reservation, but the government wants to do something else in its name.

He claimed, “The Prime Minister does not want this (women’s reservation) decision to be taken on the basis of caste census and new census. The Prime Minister is snatching your (OBC) participation from you. He wants to use the 2011 census, in which there is no count of Other Backward Classes. He wants to steal your (OBC) share.”

Rahul Gandhi said, “Prime Minister Modi, the people of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party have become scared because the data of the caste census has started coming in. They have come to know the population of the backward classes. They do not want you (OBCs) to get participation according to your population. This is an anti-national activity.”

Rahul attacks Modi's ‘power grab’ bid, hits out centre on delimitation#RahulGandhi #WomenReservationBill #FastMailNews #fastmail pic.twitter.com/laerJjeuuP

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He said, “Our stand is that you (Prime Minister) should do the (delimitation) on the basis of the census that is going to happen in 2026 and not on the basis of the 2011 census, because it does not have OBC data.”

Rahul Gandhi said, “If you (Prime Minister) want to implement the Women’s Reservation Act, then you already have an Act lying with you — implement it. We will fully support it. But we will not allow you to work against the OBCs, South Indian states, and small states.”

He said, “Modi ji, I understand that you want to send the message to the country that you are a supporter of women. I know that you are scared of the Epstein files.”

Rahul Gandhi said, “You want the seats to increase according to you, delimitation to happen according to you, and OBCs to get nothing. We will not allow you to do that.”

He added, “We will not allow the ‘theft of share’ from OBCs. Other Backward Classes, Dalits, and Adivasis should get their due rights.”