Rahul Gandhi’s Statement: Ignoring OBCs Was a Mistake
Rahul Gandhi emphasized that during the 1990s, Congress ignored the OBC community, which he acknowledged was a strategic mistake. He stated that it is now time to take steps to correct this mistake.
Strengthening the Party’s Reach to OBCs
During the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Rahul Gandhi shared his thoughts on the party’s strategy ahead of the upcoming AICC session. He stressed that Congress needs to strengthen its reach to the OBC community to effectively compete with the BJP and the Modi government. Rahul Gandhi pointed out that OBCs make up more than 50% of Indian society, and when combined with Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and minorities, the number reaches nearly 90%, which would give the party a strong base of support.
Congress Working Committee Meeting: Focus on Organizational Empowerment
In the meeting, the Congress Working Committee discussed the draft proposal to be presented at the AICC session, which emphasizes organizational empowerment. The proposal focuses on strengthening upcoming district Congress committees. According to Rahul Gandhi’s vision, the party is focusing on social-economic justice to counter the nationalist and Hindutva narratives of the BJP-RSS and the Modi government.
Mallikarjun Kharge’s Statement: OBCs Also Exploit Dalits
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated in the meeting that in some places, OBCs exploit Dalits as much as the upper castes do. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was not present at the meeting as she was traveling abroad.
Draft Critiques Modi Government’s Policies
The draft criticized the political, economic, social, and foreign policies of the Modi government. Congress is portrayed as a supporter of inclusive economic development, social justice, and national unity. One of Rahul Gandhi’s key issues in the draft is the support for implementing caste-based enumeration (census).
Congress Discusses Economic Policies
The draft also includes criticism of the Modi government’s tariff orders concerning President Trump’s policies. Congress has warned that this decision could negatively impact various economic sectors, including Indian agriculture. Additionally, the party has demanded a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Congress’s View on Nationalism: A Different Perspective from BJP-RSS
The draft states, “For Congress, nationalism is the idea that unites people, while the false nationalism of the RSS-BJP works to divide society.” The draft also accuses the Modi government of attacking the Constitution and claims that the current government is attempting to weaken reservations and has failed to fill vacancies in government jobs.
