Priyanka Gandhi Challenges Modi and Shah for Caste Census Debate

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra challenges PM Modi and HM Amit Shah to commit publicly to a caste census during a rally in Shirdi, ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections. Gandhi accuses the BJP of spreading lies and insists on the necessity of understanding caste demographics for effective reservation allocation.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday threw down the gauntlet to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding they publicly commit to a caste census. This comes as polling for Maharashtra's 288 assembly seats looms on November 20.

Speaking at a public rally in Shirdi, Gandhi challenged the BJP leaders, saying, "I challenge PM Modi and HM Amit Shah to stand on a stage and declare that they will conduct a caste census and remove the 50 percent cap on reservation." She pointed out that Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra aimed to promote a caste census.

Gandhi further accused the BJP of misleading the public about her brother's stance on reservation, citing his activism from Manipur to Mumbai and Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Her remarks came after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh criticized Rahul Gandhi's caste census advocacy.

Singh alleged that Rahul Gandhi's calls for a caste census are an attempt to mislead the public, pressing for a detailed plan on caste-based reservation allocations. The campaigning heats up in Maharashtra as both the ruling Mahayuti coalition and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi strive for voter support.

In past elections, the BJP captured 105 seats in 2019, with the Shiv Sena at 56 and Congress at 44. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, MVA showed strong performance by winning 30 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra.

(With inputs from agencies.)