<p>Patna: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday championed the cause of Dalits and said given their numerical strength, the time has come when they assume leadership roles in every institution. </p><p>“I want to see Dalits in leadership role in every institution. This is exactly what Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Dalit icon of Bihar Jaglal Choudhary always dreamt of,” said Rahul.</p><p>The Congress leader was speaking on the occasion of the 130th birth anniversary of veteran Dalit leader Jaglal Choudhary at a function in Patna.</p><p>“Today was the voting day in Delhi. But paying tributes to Dalit icon Jaglal ji was equally important. So, after casting my vote in New Delhi, I flew down to Patna to pay my tributes to him,” said Rahul in his opening remarks.</p><p>In a shrill attack on the RSS and the BJP, the former Congress president said, “The BJP and its parent organisation were against the Constitution as it gave rights to the Dalits, downtrodden, and other weaker sections."</p><p>"However, nowhere in the hierarchy of power, you will find a Dalit or an OBC holding the forte. Even in the top 200 companies, you won’t find any Dalit or OBCs in a leadership role,” said Rahul, batting for the Dalits and backward castes who constitute nearly 80 per cent of the population in Bihar as per the latest caste survey.</p>.Rahul Gandhi arrives in Patna on day-long visit.<p><strong>Caste Survey</strong></p><p>“In Bihar, the caste survey is not up to the mark. The Nitish government should take a leaf out of Telangana if a caste survey has to be done. The Telangana regime has shown how meticulously it has conducted the survey and brought to the fore how the downtrodden and weaker sections have been marginalised in power structure despite being numerically strong,” argued Rahul, adding “The time has come for a nationwide caste census.”</p><p>The Congress leader’s message was primarily aimed at wooing the large section of Dalits and OBCs in Bihar, a state that will go to polls later in the year.</p><p>Keeping this in mind, this was Rahul’s second visit to Bihar since January. Last time, he met RJD chief Lalu Prasad and reportedly assuaged the ruffled feathers of former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav who is apparently miffed with the Congress for asking for a bigger pound of flesh in terms of seat-sharing for the ensuing polls.</p><p><em>(The writer is a senior Patna-based journalist)</em></p>
<p>Patna: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday championed the cause of Dalits and said given their numerical strength, the time has come when they assume leadership roles in every institution. </p><p>“I want to see Dalits in leadership role in every institution. This is exactly what Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Dalit icon of Bihar Jaglal Choudhary always dreamt of,” said Rahul.</p><p>The Congress leader was speaking on the occasion of the 130th birth anniversary of veteran Dalit leader Jaglal Choudhary at a function in Patna.</p><p>“Today was the voting day in Delhi. But paying tributes to Dalit icon Jaglal ji was equally important. So, after casting my vote in New Delhi, I flew down to Patna to pay my tributes to him,” said Rahul in his opening remarks.</p><p>In a shrill attack on the RSS and the BJP, the former Congress president said, “The BJP and its parent organisation were against the Constitution as it gave rights to the Dalits, downtrodden, and other weaker sections."</p><p>"However, nowhere in the hierarchy of power, you will find a Dalit or an OBC holding the forte. Even in the top 200 companies, you won’t find any Dalit or OBCs in a leadership role,” said Rahul, batting for the Dalits and backward castes who constitute nearly 80 per cent of the population in Bihar as per the latest caste survey.</p>.Rahul Gandhi arrives in Patna on day-long visit.<p><strong>Caste Survey</strong></p><p>“In Bihar, the caste survey is not up to the mark. The Nitish government should take a leaf out of Telangana if a caste survey has to be done. The Telangana regime has shown how meticulously it has conducted the survey and brought to the fore how the downtrodden and weaker sections have been marginalised in power structure despite being numerically strong,” argued Rahul, adding “The time has come for a nationwide caste census.”</p><p>The Congress leader’s message was primarily aimed at wooing the large section of Dalits and OBCs in Bihar, a state that will go to polls later in the year.</p><p>Keeping this in mind, this was Rahul’s second visit to Bihar since January. Last time, he met RJD chief Lalu Prasad and reportedly assuaged the ruffled feathers of former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav who is apparently miffed with the Congress for asking for a bigger pound of flesh in terms of seat-sharing for the ensuing polls.</p><p><em>(The writer is a senior Patna-based journalist)</em></p>