Congress Blows 2024 Poll Bugle With Caste Census Pitch, Revival of NYAY Scheme

In a massive show of strength in Maharashtra's Nagpur, Congress attacked the Modi government ahead of 2024 polls.

(Photo Courtesy: Congress)

In a massive show of strength in Maharashtra's Nagpur, the Congress party blew the poll bugle for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the presence of all its senior leaders and chief ministers, where party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government.

The event, organised for the party's 139th foundation day, was attended by all the office bearers of the party, present and former chief ministers of the Congress party, as well as other senior party leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Gandhi said that the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) was attempting to take over the independent institutions that belong to the people of the country.

"India is made by its institutions. The Supreme Court, the Election Commission (EC), are institutions of the people. They are out to capture all of them. You see vice chancellors (VC) of all universities. They all belong to one organisation. They don't know anything. The VCs are not appointed on merit anymore," Gandhi said.

Reiterating his attack on the Narendra Modi-led government over unemployment and alleged favouritism of capitalists, Gandhi said that if a new government is voted to power, it will ensure that a caste census takes place.

"I asked the BJP in the Parliament about the 90 officers that run the nation. I asked how many are OBCs, Adivasis or Dalits. The BJP did not have an answer," he said.

"There should be caste census. The country should know how many OBCs are there," he added.

Addressing the gathering, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that the people must support the INDIA bloc of the Opposition parties for equality to prevail in the country.

"There are two ideologies here. One is a progressive and developmental ideology of Ambedkar. On the other hand, there's RSS and its ideology which is destroying the nation. PM Modi is the flag-bearer of the RSS ideology. Till the time people don't come together, the flag of equality will not rise again," he said.

Kharge also made an important announcement at the event to bring back the party's NYAY scheme that was first proposed as a poll promise in the 2019 general elections.

"In the upcoming elections, if the INDIA alliance and Congress party is strengthened by you, we will implement the NYAY scheme. We will ensure Rs 60,000-70,000 for women under the scheme. We promise that after the upcoming elections, we will implement the NYAY scheme," he said.

The Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme or the Minimum Income Support Programme was pitched by the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections under which it aimed to dispense a guaranteed cash transfer of Rs. 72,000 a year for over 5 crore families. The party aimed to transfer the money to the account of a woman of the family.

Attacking the Modi government over its schemes, Kharge further said: "Did India get Independence only after 2014? Did schools, medical colleges, and all other things happen after 2014? He is on the chair only after everything was already done."

"There is inflation and price rise touching the skies. PM Modi does not say anything about it. There are 30 lakh jobs vacant in India. But PM Modi does not bother to fill them because the reserved castes and backward castes will get employment of the posts get filled," Kharge added.

Kharge and Gandhi also presented certificates to three donors who donated money for the Congress party's 'Donate for Desh' campaign for the 2024 general elections.

The event saw a massive turnout of party workers from across the state, with most senior party leaders in attendance.

Among those who attended the event were Maharashtra party president Nana Patole, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu, former Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, party general secretary KC Venugopal, and others.