Rahul Gandhi to launch stir against govt April 23

New Delhi: Congress and BJP are now locked in an intense battle over dalits. Seeking to reach out to the dalits, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be launching his party’s nationwide “Save the Constitution” campaign, which is aimed at highlighting alleged attacks on the Constitution.

The present and former lawmakers of Congress — those holding offices in the zilla parishad, civic bodies, and the panchayat samitis — will take part in the launch event that is aimed at sensitising the attendees on the current state of affairs with regard to the community.

The event is expected to take place at the national stadium in the Talkatora Stadium on April 23.

Apart from the Dalit leaders of Congress, its frontal organisations will also be present at the event. The aim is to highlight the “atrocities on dalits” being committed under BJP’s rule.

Nitin Raut, the newly appointed chief of the SC cell of Congress, said: “The Constitution is under attack under BJP’s rule. The community is being denied educational and employment opportunities. There is anger among its members on various issues. The meeting will highlight that. Our leaders will take message from the convention in their respective areas.”

Dalits form roughly 17 per cent of the country’s electorate. There are 84 parliamentary seats reserved for candidates belonging to the scheduled castes. BJP had bagged nearly half of the seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, reflecting its success in politically key states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Congress is keen to improve its tally in these seats. It has been highlighting issues like the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad Central University or the flogging of dalits at Una in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, BJP is also on an outreach mission to woo the dalits. Earlier, Narendra Modi credited his becoming the Prime Minister to Babasaheb Ambedkar. At this, Congress countered by asking the Prime Minister why the dalits and the Constitution were under attack.