Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Narendra Modi government on Monday and accused the right-wing organisation of “practising and professing” Manu’s (writer of text Manusmriti which is blamed for rigidifying caste system) ideology.
Mr. Gandhi, along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was here on Monday to attend the concluding event of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s 125 birth anniversary, which the Congress claims to have celebrated for a year.
Addressing a large crowd at the Kasturchand Park ground, hardly two km from the RSS headquarters, Mr. Gandhi said: “Dr. Ambedkar and the Congress were the first to refute Manu’s ideology by making the Constitution. Dr. Ambedkar faced discrimination because of this ideology. But the RSS and the BJP support this ideology and work to strengthen it.”
He cited Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula’s suicide to highlight how Dalits still face discrimination in India.
“Rohith, a student like Dr. Ambedkar, decided to stand up against Manu’s system and demanded equal rights. What happened to him? He was forced to take his own life. The RSS appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Hyderabad University. Not only in Hyderabad, in every educational institution, the RSS is appointing its people to stop Dalits and weaker sections from getting higher education,” claimed Mr. Gandhi.
The Congress leader accused the RSS of running Ministries in the Modi government through OSDs (Officers on Special Duty).
‘Reservation under threat’
Ms. Gandhi also accused the BJP and the RSS of “double speak” and “conspiring” to deprive the SCs, STs and OBCs of reservation. “Reservation is under threat [under BJP regime]. They [BJP and RSS] want to take us back to the dark ages. Those who opposed Dr. Ambedkar until now, are trying to appropriate his legacy. They are conspiring against the Constitution,” she told the gathering.
The Modi regime was planning to topple her party’s governments in other States after Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, Ms. Gandhi said.
As it happened:
6.50: They were first to do so to challenge the Manusmriti, says Rahul
6.48: Babasaheb Ambedkar, along with Congress demolished Manu's ideology: Rahul
6.47: Mr. Gandhi quotes Ambedkar's writings during his speech.
6.46 pm: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi begins his speech with Jai Bhim .
6.45 pm: Ashok Chavhan alleges that the RSS is conspiring to demolish the Constitution .
6.40 pm: Congress leader in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge targets Modi govt's 'hidden agenda' of removing reservation.
6:21 pm: The rally has been organised as a concluding event of Dr.Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary, which the Congress claims to have celebrated for last one year.
6:15 pm: Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavhan has been camping in Nagpur to make this rally a success and almost all Congress Chief Ministers and different state congress presidents are expected to attend the rally.
6:08 pm: Gandhis reach the venue.