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The meeting is crucial for the Congress as it seeks to reclaim OBC votes, revive community leadership, and build momentum for a nationwide caste census
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with Deputy CM and state Congress President D K Shivakumar, party leader Ashok Gehlot and AICC OBC department Chairman Anil Jaihind in Bengaluru. (PTI)
The Congress is sending out a louder message amid buzz over a possible leadership shuffle in Karnataka—“AHINDA is not a vote bank. It is the voice of India’s conscience.” That was the line delivered by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the first-ever meeting of the AICC Backward Classes Advisory Council being held in Bengaluru.
The meeting is crucial for the Congress as it seeks to reclaim OBC votes, revive community leadership, and build momentum for a nationwide caste census.
The underlying theme running through the two-day session is clear: Congress is not backing down on social justice. The party is now strategising on how to win back the OBC support base it believes has steadily shifted to the BJP over the past few decades.
Opening the meeting, Siddaramaiah said: “Let us remind the country that AHINDA is not a vote bank. It is the voice of India’s conscience. This is not a fight for reservation to Backward Classes alone. This is a fight for recognition, dignity, and power of these classes.”
He launched a direct attack on the BJP, saying: “The BJP has never stood for social justice or reservations. They have never believed in inclusive development or in bringing all communities together. Karnataka still faces deep inequalities. Every time the Congress brings in measures to ensure justice for the marginalised, the BJP opposes them—be it reservation or any welfare policy. That is the truth.”
Siddaramaiah said the second day of the meeting will see Congress MP Rahul Gandhi address the gathering virtually, where he is expected to outline the party’s national strategy.
“We will also be announcing new steps. The future of India cannot be built on the exclusion of many. The future must rise on the shoulders of the underprivileged—with dignity, with opportunity, and with their rightful place in power,” he said.
He added: “In the spirit of ‘equal opportunity to live, equal share of resources’ and ‘the rise of all’, we must build an India where no one is left behind and everyone rises together.”
Another key focus of the meeting is the caste census, said sources. It is learnt that the Congress is placing it at the heart of its political message—not just in Karnataka, but as part of its national revival. Party leaders discussed how the Karnataka and Telangana models could be extended across the country.
Siddaramaiah also invoked the Kantharaj Commission report. “In 2015, under my government, we conducted India’s most comprehensive Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, covering 1.3 crore households. This was more than just enumeration—it was a moral commitment to visibility, representation and justice.”
He slammed the BJP for keeping the report buried during its rule. “From 2019 to 2023, the BJP sat on this report. That is not just bureaucratic delay; it is ideological opposition to social justice.”
Now, his government has ordered a second survey. “To ensure fairness and reflect demographic shifts over a decade, we are committed to a second Socio-Economic and Educational Survey. This is about justice,” he said.
Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka CM M Veerappa Moily, who had implemented the 1995 State Backward Classes Act, made a strong pitch for a nationwide caste census.
“Without data, you cannot deliver real justice. We are talking about equity, but we don’t even know who needs what. The time has come to act,” Moily said.
Taking aim at the BJP, he said: “They talk about OBCs only during elections. But when it comes to giving them their due, they back off. The Congress is not afraid of the truth. Rahul Gandhi’s stand — ‘jitni aabadi, utna haq’ — is the way forward.”
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot called Rahul Gandhi’s campaign “an extraordinary and bold step” by any political leader. “Whether it’s about EWS or the 95 per cent of the population that remains underrepresented, the ground reality must be seen through the lens of justice,” he said.
“Whatever kind of politics the BJP plays, democracy will decide,” he added. “What could be more unfortunate than the fact that untouchability still exists? Caste-based discrimination, inferiority complexes—Dalits and backward communities continue to live with this daily. We cannot ignore it anymore.”
The Bengaluru meeting, attended by over 42 top OBC leaders, including four PCC chiefs and one CLP leader, is also a platform to discuss internal party representation. Leaders are deliberating on ways to strengthen OBC leadership within the party and ensure better organisational roles.
While speaking to those present, Siddaramaiah stressed that political representation must be asserted so that backward classes have a fair and proportional say in all decision-making platforms. He said there was a need to widen economic opportunities—including extending reservations to private sector jobs, ensuring promotions in government services, access to government contracts, financial assistance, welfare schemes, and market linkages.
Party insiders say the meeting also doubles up as a platform to bolster Siddaramaiah’s image as the Congress’s national OBC face, especially at a time when his leadership in Karnataka is being closely watched. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar had recently tried to position himself with the community by pointing out that Vokkaligas and Lingayats are classified as OBCs at the Centre.
Sources say that also on the agenda is a discussion on Article 164(1) of the Constitution, referencing states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh—all of which have implemented caste-based representation in their cabinets.
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t…Read More
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t… Read More
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