‘Disrespecting Indira, Rajiv Gandhi...’: Congress leader Anand Sharma's letter to Mallikarjun Kharge on caste census
Rajiv Gandhi. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's caste census garnered national attention when the former was still part of the Opposition INDIA bloc. Congress has also been harping on the need for a caste census in India.
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, CWC member Anand Sharma's letter to Mallikarjun Kharge flags “political narratives and policy priorities of the political parties during the run-up for the national elections and articulation of policies by the National and Regional parties". In the letter Anand Sharma talks about National Caste Census which gained prominence in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. Anand Sharma says, even though the census has been endorsed by Congress and other regional parties in the INDIA bloc, it goes against the idea pf social justice followed by the grand old party since its inception.
“Though caste is a reality of Indian society, Congress has never engaged in nor endorsed identity politics", Anand Sharma's letter reads, “That is detrimental to democracy in a society with a rich diversity of region, religion, caste and ethnicity". Anand Sharma in his defense cites Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. His letter says, “It is pertinent to recall Smt.
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