SENIOR Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asserted that a countrywide caste census would be conducted if the party comes to power at the Centre in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. While addressing a rally as part of ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in West Bengal’s Malda district, Gandhi accused the RSS and the BJP of propagating hatred and violence. “We want social justice and the biggest aspect of delivering it will be a countrywide caste census. After we come to power at the Centre, we will conduct a caste census across the nation to find out the number of Dalits, tribals and people from other backward communities,” he said.

 

Gandhi had in neighbouring Bihar on Tuesday alleged that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was “feeling trapped” after getting a caste survey conducted in the State under pressure from the Mahagathbandhan partners and the BJP “provided him a way out”. Rahul Gandhi’s remark berating the JD(U) President came just two days after Kumar returned to the BJP-led NDA, dealing a severe blow to the Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. of which Kumar was regarded as one of the architects.