Lucknow: Congress Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday sharpened his criticism of the RSS and the BJP, while framing the political battle around social justice and the Constitution, and said senior ranks of the Sangh lack representation from OBCs, Dalits and Adivasis.“A review of the organisation’s top structure and senior functionaries would show the absence of these communities and argued that this reflected a wider imbalance in the country’s power structure. The contest in Indian politics is now clearly between those seeking broader inclusion and those preserving concentration of power,” he said.He was addressing party workers at the Samvidhan Sammelan in Lucknow, where he remembered the contribution of Dalit leader Kanshi Ram on his birth anniversary.Rahul said the late leader’s struggle, vision and impact on Indian politics continued to hold relevance.“Kanshi Ram’s politics was rooted in the idea that progress should benefit not just a small section of society but the overwhelming majority, including the most marginalised. India’s major institutions still do not reflect the country’s social composition,” he said.He referred to the judiciary, bureaucracy, cabinet, education system and corporate sector, claiming that large sections of the population, especially Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, extremely backward groups and minorities, remain underrepresented in positions of power and decision-making.Rahul presented the Congress as an ideological party that drew strength from the legacies of Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar and Jyotiba Phule. He said, “Such a party cannot be defeated if it stays committed to its path and values.”The Rae Bareli MP told party workers that slogans alone could not bring change and urged workers to focus on ideological commitment and sustained political struggle.Referring to Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram, he said both the leaders remained committed to their principles and did not compromise on their core beliefs.Gandhi also described the Constitution as more than a legal text drafted after Independence. “It embodied the voices and values of reformers and thinkers such as Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Narayana Guru, Basavanna and Gautam Buddha. The document reflects their values and not those of ideologues like VD Savarkar or Nathuram Godse,” he said.“The Congress party had decided to push for caste enumeration and for greater inclusion of Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, extremely backward classes and minorities in India’s power structure. The issue would remain central to the Congress campaign,” he said.Gandhi also launched broader political attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the PM had compromised on several national issues, including energy security, economic policy and the concentration of financial influence.The event concluded with a proposal from participants seeking Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram posthumously. The proposal received support in the gathering, with workers saying the late Dalit leader deserved the honour when Rahul Gandhi becomes Prime Minister of India.
