Govt wants to alter electoral map, take away representation: Rahul

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Calling the BJP’s delimitation plans a “shameful” attempt to alter India’s electoral map”, leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the NDA government is trying to make sure that caste census has nothing to do with representation for next 15 years. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, speaks in the House on Friday. (PTI)Gandhi also questioned that while the BJP considers OBC and Dalits as Hindus in its politics, but it does not want to give the sections political representation. In his speech, which also saw furious protests by the BJP and defence minister Rajnath Singh condemning Gandhi for his unparliamentary utterance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi asserted, “There is a women’s bill passed in 2023. This is an attempt to change the electoral map of India by using and hiding behind India’s women. And actually it is a shameful act. Instead of giving women reservation, this is something else. And the truth needs to be told what this is. There is a central truth in India;’s history: the brutal, cruel unforgiving treatment of the OBC, Dalit and minorities and women. And this is a historical fact. Their agenda is Manuvaad over Samvidhan.” “You are telling south Indian, north eastern and smaller states that in order to keep BJP in power, we are taking away representation from you. This is nothing short of an anti-national act. The entire Opposition will defeat this attempt to attack the nation state. You will deprive OBC and Dalits of their rightful place in society. In corporate India, entire finance structure where are the Dalits? In top bureaucracy, judiciary, private sector where are Dalits and OBCs? You have demolished public sector and handed it over to your friends. You call OBCs and Dalits as Hindus, but you do not give them any space in power structure of this country,” Gandhi said. Referring to Union home minister Amit Shah’s intervention on Thursday, Gandhi said, “Amit Shah ji said, caste census has begun (and houses don’t have castes). The point is not whether houses have castes. The point is whether the caste census should be used for representation in Vidhan Sabhas and Lok Sabha. And what you are trying to do now is trying to make sure that caste census has nothing to do with representation for next 15 years.” The LoP called women as a central force in “our national imagination, in our national perspective” and recalled his childhood and the lessons from Indira Gandhi (his grandmother) and even praised his sister and Wayanad lawmaker Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as she made Shah smile during her speech. Gandhi’s repeated attacks on the PM led to furious protests from the Treasury bench. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju accused Gandhi of calling Balakot and Operation Sindoor “magic” and defence minister Rajnath Singh reminded the LoP, “The words used by LoP for the PM are very unfortunate and should be condemned. People of India has made him the PM and given us so much strength. He is not insulting a person, he is insulting the people of India. He must apologise.” Rahul Gandhi hit back at the BJP saying, “There is a central confusion in the minds of the BJP and its leadership. They believe that they are the people of India. You are not the people of India! They also believe that they are the armed forces. You are not the armed forces! We are not attacking the people of India or the armed forces; we are attacking you.” Gandhi argued that both Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee didn’t change the size of the Lok Sabha and claimed that the BJP is scared. “The second thing is: because you are scared of what is happening in politics of the country and erosion of your strength, you are trying to rejig India’s political map. You did it in J&K and Assam, now you hope to do it in India.” “You can’t tolerate the truth. I want to assure my friends, brothers, and sisters across the country, do not worry. We are not going to allow them to attack the Union of India. You are equal participants in the Union of India. They will not dare to touch your representation in the Union of India,” Gandhi said. “BJP is not stupid. They knew clearly this bill couldn’t have passed. This was a panic reaction because the Prime Minister at any cost wanted to send out two messages — One, he wanted to change the electoral map of India, and secondly, he needed to send this message again that he is pro-women,” Gandhi said. Saubhadra Chatterji is Deputy Political Editor at the Hindustan Times. He writes on both politics and policies.