HOSAPETE: AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge voiced serious concern over alleged attempts to undermine the rights of Scheduled Caste communities, stating that any such move would denote grave injustice for the oppressed and underprivileged. He warned that these actions would tarnish the image of party leader Rahul Gandhi, who has consistently championed their cause.
Speaking at the ‘Samarpane Sankalpa’ rally, marking the second anniversary of the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka, Kharge highlighted irregularities uncovered during the ongoing socio-economic and educational census of SC communities. He pointed to the dramatic increase in the population of the Beda Jangama community, listed under the SC category.
“In Kalyana Karnataka, the Beda Jangama community had about 500 members. That number has now reportedly surged to 4.5 lakh. Where have all these people come from?” he questioned. However, he clarified that he is not opposed to affirmative action for the welfare of the Beda Jangama community, but stressed the need for transparency and accuracy.
Kharge also recalled how he and Rahul had demanded a nationwide caste census, and faced criticism from BJP leaders. Due to sustained public pressure by the Congress, the Union Cabinet has now approved inclusion of a caste column in the upcoming census, he said.
‘Historic move’
Describing the Karnataka government’s initiative to distribute property documents to over 1.1 lakh families as “historic”, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi urged the government to make the state the first in the country to ensure property rights for all residents living on ancestral land in revenue villages, hamlets and habitations.
This initiative, he said, represents the sixth guarantee of the Congress government. Gandhi commended the Siddaramaiah administration for declaring 2,000 habitations as revenue villages, and urged the government to declare the remaining 500 habitations as revenue villages too, and issue land ownership papers to 50,000 more families in the next six months.
He emphasised the need for grassroots-level Guarantee Committees to identify landless residents and ensure they receive legal ownership. Referring to former PM Indira Gandhi’s vision of providing land rights to the poor, he said her dream was being realised by the current Congress government.
He also advocated digitisation of property ownership documents to make them accessible and secure for economically weaker sections, who often face difficulties in preserving physical copies.
Rahul praised the successful implementation of the five key guarantees, saying direct financial support to the poor had increased their spending capacity. “This money is being reinvested into the local economy, boosting production and economic activity across the state,” he noted.
Gandhi said the Congress believes in empowering the poor by putting money into their hands, while the BJP caters to a select few wealthy individuals.