"Bring back ballot paper,” Kharge calls for campaign on Constitution Day

New Delhi: “We don’t want EVMs, we want ballot paper, “ said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge as the Congress party observed the Constitution Day event at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi elaborated on the caste census that is being carried out in the state of Telangana. Gandhi said, “Telangana caste census will be the role model for the country.”

Call for a ballot paper

The recent Maharashtra election results have once again raised the question of alleged manipulation of EVM. In a very Deccani style, Kharge said, “EVM machine koh chodo, Humko hona ballot paper pe vote, EVM machine, Modi aur Shah ke ghar pe rahene doh. Ahmedabad meih unke bahut godown hai.” he said.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee had a meeting with Kharge where they have said that they were going to start a movement against EVMs in the state.

From these discussions, Kharge said, “Just like the Bharat Jodo Yatra started by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, we all have to come together and start a movement across India, that we will vote only for ballot paper, no EVM”, said Kharge.

In a detailed speech on the constitution, Kharge said, “We are being blamed for dividing the country but if you want to spread unity in the country, you must stop spreading hate,” said Kharge taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janta Party.

Solgans to divide

Kharge also pointed out the slogans in the recent Maharashtra elections of “Ek hai toh safe hai,” ‘ Batege toh katege,” he said, “These slogans show that these people don’t follow the constitution. When we are to treat everyone equally and follow the constitution, will such slogans be given,” he asked.

Criticises BJP, PM Modi, RSS

Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi fears a caste census. He said Modi is afraid that if he allows a caste census then all sections of society will demand their share.

Kharge also accused the BJP of not having any "constitutional integrity or federal character" and alleged that the party was undoing everything that BR Ambedkar and other members of the Constituent Assembly did through the Constitution.

"They talk of the Constitution, but when the Constitution was adopted, the RSS had said it is based on the western culture and it should be based on 'Manusmriti'," the Congress leader said.

Kharge, again referring to RSS, said those who have insulted the Constitution are indulging in "fake love" for it.

He also exhorted the Dalits not to run after the BJP. "They are not 'rakshak (protector), but 'bhakshak' (destroyers) of the Constitution. They want to destroy the Constitution. We should all unite and move forward together and push them behind," he said.

Adani and Maharashtra election results

Referring to the Maharashtra Assembly polls, which the NDA swept, Kharge alleged that billionaire businessman Gautam Adani had a lot to do with the election as his wealth was at stake.

Caste census

Caste census which is presently being carried out in Telangana is going to set the road map for the country asserted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He said, “Our policies in Telangana will be based on the data from the caste census. We are going to ensure that there is a nationwide caste census to understand which section of the society must get its due.”

Pointing towards Rohit Vemula’s picture on the stage, Gandhi said he wanted to speak but his voice was gagged. “Every day in India, the Adivasi youth, the Dalit youth, the OBC youth dream of becoming engineers, doctors, lawyers or want to join the media or the IAS, but the reality is that the entire system in the country is up against the Adivasis, the Dalits and the Backward Classes”, he observed. He pointed out, twenty-first century is the age of data. He said, the caste census will provide the data about the exact number of dalits, adivasis and OBCs. “The day we get the data, the paradigm of development will shift and there will be a new approach towards development in the country”, he said.

He said the BJP was scared of caste census as it wants 4-5 percent people and a few billionaires to control India. He said, this control can be taken away from them by two ways; caste census and removing the fifty percent bar on reservations. “Whatever the BJP and RSS do, caste census will be done and fifty percent reservation barrier will be removed”, he said, adding, “I have promised it in the Lok Sabha that we will get the caste census passed in the same Lok Sabha. We want to protect the constitution”.

Gandhi asked the Congress workers to go to every village and talk about the caste census and why it must be carried out. “Your message should be only that in this country, 90 percent people are subjected to injustice every day”, he told the gathering.