Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday acknowledged that the party’s failure to adequately address Dalit concerns in the 1980s and 1990s contributed to the rise of regional parties built around Dalit politics and support bases.
Addressing a meeting of the Congress Scheduled Castes Department at the party headquarters, Rahul Gandhi said that had the Congress acted decisively for Dalit communities during that period, caste-based regional formations may not have emerged, nor would Dalit voters have shifted away from the party.
In what appeared to be a significant political signal ahead of key state elections, he asserted that Dalits would now occupy a central role within the Congress organisation.
According to sources present at the meeting, Rahul Gandhi also praised Kanshi Ram for uniting Dalits politically and instilling self-confidence within the community.
He further alleged that the BJP was simultaneously attempting to weaken regional parties while undermining the rights of Dalits, claiming that atrocities against the community were increasing. In response, he said, the Congress would position itself as a defender of Dalit rights and work toward fulfilling the vision of B R Ambedkar.
The remarks mirror Rahul Gandhi’s earlier outreach to Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Last year, he publicly admitted that the Congress had failed to adequately represent OBC interests and even expressed regret over the party’s past approach. More recently, he has intensified demands for a nationwide caste census as part of the Congress party’s broader social justice plank.
Political observers believe the Congress benefited electorally from this strategy during the Lok Sabha elections, particularly among Dalit and backward-class voters. Rahul Gandhi repeatedly campaigned with a copy of the Constitution in hand, accusing the Modi government of threatening constitutional values — a message that appeared to resonate with sections of marginalised communities.
With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, Rahul Gandhi has stepped up his outreach efforts in the state. Last week, during a visit to his parliamentary constituency of Raebareli, he unveiled a statue of Dalit freedom fighter Veera Pasi and addressed a Bahujan community gathering.
Meanwhile, a recent attempt by Rajendra Pal Gautam, the Chairman of the Congress party's Scheduled Castes Department, to meet Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow did not materialise.
Whether Rahul Gandhi’s renewed emphasis on Dalit and backward-class politics — coupled with an acknowledgment of the Congress party’s past shortcomings — translates into electoral gains will become clear only in the coming elections.
(With inputs from ANI)
