Rahul Gandhi's U-turn on 'wealth survey' remark: 'Didn't say will take action'
Rahul Gandhi has shifted his stance on proposed "wealth survey," and has emphasised it as a means to gauge injustice rather than immediate action.
In Short
- Rahul Gandhi clarifies 'wealth survey' remark
- Says aim is to identify injustice
- Slams Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reaction to his proposal
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a U-turn on his "wealth survey" remark and said he only wanted to find out the amount of injustice the country was facing.
"I have not said we will take action yet. I am just saying let's find out how much injustice has been done," Rahul Gandhi said, while addressing the party's 'Social Justice Conference' at Delhi's Jawahar Bhawan.
"Look at how Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted the moment I said let's test how much injustice has been done. They are saying this is an attempt to break down the country. Through the X-ray (wealth survey), we will get to know the problem," the former Congress chief said.
"Those who call themselves 'deshbakt' are scared of the 'X-ray' of caste census," Rahul Gandhi asserted, and said that no force can stop it.
Gandhi also said it is his life's mission to ensure justice for the 90 percent of the population against whom injustice has been done.
"Injustice is being done to 90 percent of Indians. The moment I called for checking this injustice, the Prime Minister and the BJP started attacking me," Rahul Gandhi alleged.
“As soon as our government is formed, the first thing that would be done is caste census,” Gandhi said.
On April 7, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress party, if voted to power, would conduct a financial and institutional survey to ascertain the distribution of wealth among the people in the country.
Addressing a public rally in Hyderabad after releasing the Congress's manifesto, Rahul Gandhi said the survey will be conducted apart from a nationwide caste census that the party has promised if voted to power.
The former Congress chief also spoke about the Ram Mandir inauguration, and alleged, "Not a single Dalit, or a tribal was seen at the temple, or during the inauguration of the new Parliament building. Ninety per cent of the population understands this."