New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying those who call themselves "deshbhakt" are scared of the "X-ray" of the caste census but "no force" can stop it.
Addressing the "Samajik Nyay Sammelan" in the national capital, Mr Gandhi said he is not interested in caste but in "nyay" (justice) and asserted that it is his life's mission to ensure justice for the 90 per cent of the population against whom injustice has been done.
“As soon as our government is formed, the first thing that will be done is a caste census," he said.
Mr Gandhi said the Congress manifesto talks about the X-ray and the income
inequality created by the Modi government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has transferred '16-lakh crores to select business people and the Congress is going to return a small amount to 90 per cent of the population.
"We have calculated...What we felt is justice and that help should be given, we put it down in the manifesto," the former Congress president said of the party's guarantees mentioned in its manifesto.
"What does a deshbhakt want? A deshbhakt wants justice in the country. A deshbhakt wants India to move forward and become a superpower. So if you want to become a superpower and move ahead of China, one has to use the strength of 90 per cent of the population. Those who call themselves deshbhakt are scared of X-ray," he said.
“For 10 years, Mr Modi said he is an OBC, but as soon as I talked about the caste census, he said 'there are no castes'. If there are no castes, how are you an OBC? Then you should have said I have no caste. He then says there are two castes -- rich and poor... If you say so, I say take out the list of poor and you will get (the population of) dalits, adivasis and backwards," Mr Gandhi said.
The Congress leader asserted that ensuring justice for 90 per cent of the population is not about politics but is his life's mission. There is a difference between life's mission and politics, as one can compromise in politics but not in life's mission, Mr Gandhi said, alleging that the BJP's aim is to divert the attention of the dalits, OBCs, tribals by raising Pakistan, China and Bollywood.
