Caste census will be conducted in Rajasthan if Congress retains power: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Pic/PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said a caste census will be conducted in Rajasthan if his party retains power in the state, reported news agency PTI.

Addressing a rally in poll-bound Rajasthan's Dholpur, Rahul Gandhi slammed the introduction of the Agnipath scheme, saying it has shattered the dreams of lakhs of youth who wanted to defend the nation, reported PTI.

"The first thing that the Congress will do after retaining power in Rajasthan is go for a caste census. It will also be conducted at the national level after Congress comes to power at the Centre," Rahul Gandhi said, reported PTI.

A caste census is necessary as the country's Dalits and people belonging to backward classes should know their real numbers, reported PTI.

"The big question is how wealth is being distributed in this country today," he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to call himself an OBC but as soon as I demanded a caste census, he started saying there is only one caste in the country -- the poor, Rahul Gandhi said, reported PTI.

PM Modi diverts attention, industrialist Gautam Adani picks pockets, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah wields the lathi, the Congress leader said, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, in a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said his party stands for "justice to the poor, progress for the people", Modi's guarantee means "Adani's progress and raising the public burden."

Listing out the Congress's guarantees in poll-bound Rajasthan, Rahul said that billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, whom he repeatedly alleged to have unduly benefited from the policies of the Modi government at the Centre, "does not have a single rupee" riding in the party's proposed schemes.

"Congress's guarantee to Rajasthan means cylinder at Rs 500 to the poor. Adani has not invested a single rupee in our schemes," Rahul posted on X in Hindi.

He mentioned a couple of more such schemes in the post saying that Adani was not going to get any monetary benefits out of them.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a rally in Barmer, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence in the Narendra Modi stadium was the reason behind India's World Cup final loss.

"Our guys were playing well, they would have won the World Cup. But 'Panauti' made us lose. The TV guys won't tell you this but people know," Rahul said while campaigning at Rajasthan's Barmer on Monday.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)