Caste Census in Rajasthan if Congress Re-elected: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said a caste census will be conducted in Rajasthan if his party retains power in the state. Addressing a rally in poll-bound Rajasthan’s Dholpur, Rahul slammed the introduction of the Agnipath scheme, saying it has shattered the dreams of lakhs of youth who wanted to defend the nation.

“The first thing that the Congress will do after retaining power in Rajasthan is go for a caste census. It will also be conducted at the national level after Congress comes to power at the Centre,” Gandhi said.

A caste census is necessary as the country’s Dalits and people belonging to backward classes should know their real numbers. “The big question is how wealth is being distributed in this country today,” he said.

Addressing another rally in the state, Priyanka Gandhi pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not visit violence-hit Manipur but went to watch a cricket match in Ahmedabad. She said Manipur has been engulfed in ethnic violence for nearly seven months but the Prime Minister did not go there.

Instead, he visited Ahmedabad to watch the cricket world cup final between India and Australia.

"In the recent world cup, our team reached the final with their hard work.... Modi ji reached there so he might also get a bit of credit if the team wins," she said, adding the Prime Minister would go to a place if there is pride and honour, but would stay away from a crisis situation. She alleged that the Prime Minister and the Centre waived debts of big industrialists but neglected the poor. She also said mixing religion with politics is a sin.