NEW DELHI: Congress chief

Mallikarjun Kharge

on Wednesday made a strong case for

caste census

and accused the

BJP-RSS

of conspiring to hide the caste numbers so that they could keep the dalits, tribals and OBCs backward and snatch away their reservation. A day after BJP MP

Anurag Thakur

‘s alleged caste attack against

Rahul Gandhi

in Lok Sabha, Kharge reiterated the grand old party’s resolve to implement caste census and said, “The Indian National Congress is ready to listen to any casteist abuse.”
“Yes, I am an Indian and a Dalit, but I don’t know how many we are.

Yes, I am tribal, but I don’t know how many we are. Yes, I am OBC, but I don’t know how many we are. Today we all need to assess what our contribution is in the progress of this country,” the Congress chief said in a post on X.
“Caste census is the need of the hour so that social, economic and political empowerment can be implemented for the marginalized people, so that the benefit of equal opportunity and participation can be taken. But the Modi government is depriving us of this,” he added.

The Congress chief went on to accuse the BJP and RSS of opposing caste census to continue with their “5000-year old social exploitation of the marginalised people.”
Earlier today, Kharge criticised Prime Minister Modi for sharing Anurag Thakur’s alleged caste remark on Rahul Gandhi on X.
“I condemn the tweet of the Prime Minister,

PM Modi

should know where to speak and who to defend. Leaving that aside, he is talking about inflaming sentiments. This should not be allowed in Parliament,” Kharge posted on X.

On Anurag Thakur’s remarks, Kharge said, “He said this purposely to insult him (Rahul Gandhi). This is not right. He (Anurag Thakur) is immature but was there a need for the Prime Minister to tweet?”
“Taunting in the house, this does not happen in Parliament, nobody’s caste is asked in Parliament, Several of their leaders are in an intercaste or interfaith marriage. Will they ask about everyone’s caste? This is wrong,” he said.
Led by Rahul Gandhi, the opposition has been relentless in their demand for caste census in a bid to put the BJP on the backfoot. More so, as some of the BJP allies also favour the demand for caste census.
‘What’s wrong in asking Rahul Gandhi’s caste?’
The BJP flayed the Congress for escalating the caste row and said what’s wrong in asking leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi’s caste when he can ask about the castes of others, including the government officials, judges and even journalists.
The BJP, however, clarified that Anurag Thakur did not ask about Rahul Gandhi’s caste while speaking on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha and wondered why the leader of opposition took an offence and called it an insult to him when none of the other members raised any objection to the former Union minister’s remarks.
Participating in the discussion on the Union Budget, Thakur had made certain remarks on Tuesday that were expunged from the proceedings of the House. His apparent reference about Gandhi’s caste during the discussion had caused a massive uproar in the Lower House.