Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday shed light on the party and its leader Rahul Gandhi's push for a caste census across the country, hailing the proposed drive as a key in bridging the widening gap between the rich and the poor.
Category
ЁЯЧЮ
NewsTranscript
00:00Sachin Pilot joins me, senior leader, Congress.
00:03How is the Congress going to revive itself?
00:05What is the recipe you gave us from this AICC session in Ahmedabad
00:09that should indicate to observers that the Congress can revive itself, Sachin Pilot?
00:16So this session, Rajdeep, as you mentioned in your story,
00:19it's quite historic because in Gujarat, you know, that's where the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sada Patel
00:24and the resolution that the Congress party adopted unanimously
00:28had a few things that are important for us to look at.
00:31One, that we have taken upon ourselves to be a constructive opposition.
00:35We will take the government to task.
00:37The year 2025 will be an year for organization to do a mass outreach program,
00:43mass contact program, reach out to the public and empower our district units.
00:48This is going to be a different sort of selection process than we've had previously.
00:53That's for the organization.
00:54But from the party standpoint, you mentioned earlier about caste census.
00:58I just want to reiterate, all we're looking for is a scientific way to have a headcount
01:03where we know exactly who is living in what condition and what geographical areas.
01:08The budgetary allocations, the programs, the money that we spend is ad hoc.
01:12There is no scientific understanding or capturing of the effects of that spend
01:16unless we know who's placed how well.
01:18And I think the reservation issue, more than seven or eight states have already crossed the 50% limit.
01:24So let us understand that who are the ones who are deserving the most.
01:28Use the scientific data to target those who need the help and support.
01:32Why should we bind ourselves with 50%, 40%, 60%?
01:35Let that be a total open census.
01:38And then we must know who's placed where.
01:40And I tell you, the gap between the rich and poor.
01:42I want to add one data point, Rajdeep.
01:43Today, 1% of India owns 40% of this country's assets.
01:47The top 10% Indians own 70% of India's assets.
01:51So the huge widening gap between rich and poor is a huge concern for all of us.
01:55And we want an equitable growth.
01:57We want to empower competition, empower young people, have investments, create jobs.
02:02The government has failed to do so.
02:04And we're doing the best we can to make sure the government lives up to its promises.
02:07You know, Sachin Pailat, you mentioned organization.
02:10Let's come one by one.
02:11You mentioned organization.
02:12This is going to be the year of the organization of the Congress.
02:15I've been hearing this for the last few years.
02:18I want to know what is so different.
02:19Every time for the last few years I hear the Congress recognizes organization problem,
02:23we are going to strengthen the organization.
02:25The truth of the matter, it's not happened.
02:28So what is different this time compared to the past?
02:32We have now adopted a resolution that says 50% of all party positions will go to people
02:39who are under the age of 50.
02:40Historic.
02:41We've never done this before.
02:43A formal adoption by the Congress in Udaipur is being implemented.
02:46The backwards, the Dalits, the tribal, women, young people, minorities,
02:50they formed a chunk of this population in India.
02:53We want to make sure they're in the front line of public policy.
02:55They're in the front line of party leadership.
02:57Give them those positions.
02:58And like I said to you earlier, empower the district units.
03:01This is something that we have now embarked upon just recently.
03:04So these are all new initiatives the Congress has taken in this AICC session in Andabar.
03:08No, but Sachin Pilate, I recall two years ago in Udaipur,
03:12the Congress said one person, one post.
03:15And yet we have several leaders, including Malikarjun Kharge,
03:18who have more than one post.
03:19He's leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and he's Congress President.
03:24You've said in the past that you will ensure that 50% of all posts will be OBCs, Dalits, Adivasis.
03:29There are still states where that does not happen.
03:32You speak of caste census.
03:33You have a state in Karnataka.
03:35You are in power there.
03:36Why don't you bring a caste census there?
03:38You see, the Congress, unless you walk the talk,
03:40people will wonder, are you really sincere and keen about bringing this dramatic change?
03:49This change is brought from within.
03:51Nobody has asked us to do it.
03:52It was the leadership in the Congress party, Mr. Kharge, Mr. Gandhi, Mrs. Gandhi,
03:56who decided to bring up one of these changes.
03:58In Telangana, we've actually implemented that.
04:03You've done it?
04:04Yes, we've done it in Telangana.
04:08Just recently, hardly a month ago, we've done it in Telangana.
04:10And Karnataka will follow suit very closely.
04:12But a national census is what you're looking for.
04:15And the government is shying away from it.
04:17I think they want to keep people in the dark as to how they do allocations
04:21and allot money and what schemes and programs are going to be implemented.
04:24And I ask you, if today we have technology,
04:26we have the method and means to get scientific data,
04:30why should we not adopt that?
04:31Why must we not know what exactly are living conditions of people
04:34who are getting benefits?
04:35Perhaps if they've got enough, we can stop it.
04:37Perhaps those who have not got it, we must target those.
04:39And they can be a follow-up.
04:40They can be an outcome budget of what we've been spent.
04:44So this is something that we've asked as a party.
04:46And I think most people will agree that we must use the scientific technology
04:50at our disposal to serve the national interest.
04:52What is wrong with that?
04:53No, no.
04:54So are you saying that the battles of the future will beтАж
04:56Because the BJP is very clear.
04:57Clarity, Hindutva pitch.
04:59The Congress seems to be veering to the pitch that caste census
05:02will be the way we will combat Hindutva.
05:04There will be those who will say,
05:05you are also playing divisive politics.
05:08Jitni abadi utna hak could mean tomorrow.
05:12Further division this time around caste.
05:15You accuse the BJP of dividing the country on community.
05:17They will in turn accuse you of dividing the country on caste.
05:20And OBCs, the Prime Minister himself is an OBC.
05:23He only became OBC after becoming Prime Minister.
05:28When he was CEO of Gujarat, he never mentioned about being OBC.
05:31And if you care to read a resolution, very clearly we've said,
05:35our constitution provides for every single Indian to have equal rights.
05:38No one can be discriminated on religion, caste, what food they eat,
05:43what clothes they wear.
05:44I think it's happening in India.
05:45There is a bipolarity.
05:46There is now a two way of looking at things.
05:49People are being discriminated.
05:50Minorities, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs have been attacked.
05:53I think the sense of fear that has been inculcated.
05:58And also the institutions that we have nurtured for 75 years,
06:02systematically being eroded in a systematic way
06:05to make them more transparent,
06:07to let them not have biases in their functioning.
06:10That's what we're striving for.
06:11And we as opposition are within our rights
06:13to make sure that constitutional bodies are left from politics.
06:17And why, for example, is the way that you,
06:19like the Chief Election Commissioner has been changed.
06:22It was Chief Justice, Leader of Opposition and Prime Minister.
06:24Today, CJR is out.
06:26It's Minister, Prime Minister and LOP.
06:28So, two to one, you always have your way.
06:29You always get your guy in position.
06:31We are saying, what was the need of tampering
06:33with the selection process of the Chief Election Commissioner,
06:35for example?
06:36You know, the Chief Election Commissioner,
06:38Sir, Mr. Pilot, during the Congress,
06:41Raj, the Congress was accused of having its officers
06:43as election commissioners.
06:45But the question is, the question, Mr. Pilot,
06:48for example, you said you will raise the issue
06:50of minorities, Dalits.
06:51In the past, there's a sense the Congress
06:53is a little reluctant to take up issues of minorities
06:56for fear of being seen as anti-Hindu.
06:58That's what the BJP's Hindutva pitch has done.
07:01You're not willing to come out openly
07:02and speak out on certain issues.
07:04Is the Congress very clear
07:05that you will speak out on all these issues
07:07without fear of the BJP?
07:11Rajdeep, I cannot be more clear.
07:14Every Indian citizen, if this nation,
07:16is equal in the eyes of law.
07:18The Constitution has given us the right to be equal.
07:21Religion, caste, creed, sex, gender, food habits,
07:24cultural habits have nothing to do with it.
07:26And if anybody whose rights are being infringed upon,
07:29who's been brutalized,
07:31he or she needs to be protected.
07:32And if it's what's happening with the Vakf Bill
07:34is a clear indication of how they want to divide
07:36the narrative in this country
07:38on Hindu and Muslim and Mandir and Masjid.
07:40Jobs, agriculture, investments, wealth creation,
07:43competition, this monopolistic attitude
07:46of running economic policies,
07:47they're all under question.
07:49But because the people in power today
07:51fail to hear the voice of the people
07:53or the opposition, they're carrying on.
07:55But ultimately, I think what we stand for,
07:57what our constitution stands for,
07:59what the Congress party strives to achieve
08:00is what people in India want to see.
08:02One of the key questions is
08:03how do you address the youth population?
08:06I heard Shashi Tharoor's speech
08:08during your session where he said that
08:11we need to get the new voters
08:14back into the Congress fold.
08:16We need to increase our footprint in that sense.
08:19What are you offering as an attraction
08:21for new young voters,
08:23many of whom have gone with the BJP?
08:25They represent, many believe,
08:26the politics of aspiration.
08:28How will you attract the newer, younger demographic
08:32that is not worried about what the Congress did
08:34100 or 150 years ago,
08:36but what will you do for them now and for the future?
08:40Fair enough.
08:40We are a young country
08:41and young people who are educated,
08:43who have the skill sets,
08:44need to be given that platform.
08:46They can display their imagination,
08:47their creativity.
08:48They can be gainfully employed
08:49and have proper competition.
08:51We must create wealth,
08:52but in the right ways and right means,
08:54people must have the opportunity
08:56to prove themselves.
08:58And today, I think what we need to do, Rajdeep,
09:01is India must live up to its potential.
09:03This youth dividend
09:05will become a liability very soon.
09:07If you're not able to deliver on our promises,
09:09if you're not able to
09:10get the young people motivated
09:11and we as a Congress party
09:13represent a liberal,
09:15open atmosphere of debate,
09:18discussion and disagreement.
09:20So today, what is happening is that
09:21one shoe fits all,
09:22one ideology,
09:23one way of thinking,
09:24one way of talking
09:25is being forced upon people.
09:26But look at our colleges and campuses.
09:28Look at the fear this government
09:30has tried to create
09:31in the minds of young people.
09:33The divisions on religion
09:34are really now, you know,
09:36are eating at the false lines
09:37that already exist in our society.
09:39We have to come together
09:40as a nation.
09:41We can differ ideologically,
09:42but we can't do it at the cost
09:44of putting the country back.
09:45We have to look forward,
09:46be progressive,
09:47be liberal,
09:47be open-minded,
09:48be open to discussion
09:49and debates
09:50that are hardly happening today
09:51in campuses and colleges
09:53across the country.
09:54But there is one elephant
09:55in the room,
09:56which is Rahul Gandhi himself.
09:58He's not the Congress President,
10:00but he was holding
10:01center stage today.
10:02I want to understand,
10:04how do you see
10:05Rahul Gandhi's role now?
10:06Is he an asset?
10:07Is he someone
10:08who's yet untested
10:11as some suggest?
10:13Is he a liability?
10:14How is Rahul Gandhi
10:15seen by your party?
10:17Is he the face of the future?
10:19Is it Malik Arjun,
10:20Gharge,
10:20an octogenarian?
10:21Or dare I say,
10:22is it the Sachin pilots
10:23of the world?
10:24I think we're a team,
10:27Rajdi,
10:27first and foremost.
10:282024 looks of our election.
10:31I have no hesitation
10:31in saying that
10:32Mr. Rahul Gandhi's
10:334,000 kilometer
10:35padiyatra across the country
10:36really united
10:37not just the party,
10:38but also the country.
10:39And we raised our tally
10:40from 50 to 100.
10:42Credit of all that
10:43goes to Mr. Gandhi.
10:44I think we must appreciate
10:45the fact that
10:46he put himself out there
10:47in the face of everything
10:48that came at him.
10:49And Mr. Gharge
10:50is our elected Congress President
10:51and Rahul Gandhi
10:52is leader of Opposition.
10:53So as leader of the Opposition,
10:55it is incumbent upon him
10:56to take on the Prime Minister.
10:57He's doing it,
10:58you know,
10:59deliberately and diligently.
11:01He's one man
11:02who's taken on Mr. Modi
11:03in Parliament
11:03and outside Parliament.
11:04And the Congress Party
11:05has fought its way
11:06through independence.
11:07We've lost two elections,
11:08but doesn't mean
11:09they will dictate
11:09the future of a Congress Party.
11:11We have leadership
11:12at state level.
11:14We have central leadership.
11:15We have Mrs. Gandhi
11:15as party chairperson.
11:17All of us work together,
11:18consult, debate,
11:19discuss,
11:20and then formulate policies.
11:21But yes,
11:22he's leading from the front.
11:23A fearless man
11:24who has taken
11:25the entire state power
11:27of the government of India
11:28and yet not relented.
11:29I think we owe him
11:30that appreciation
11:31of leading the Congress Party
11:32this far.
11:34So he is your face,
11:35he is your mascot.
11:36The reason I'm asking you,
11:36there's a sense that
11:37the Congress Party
11:38still lacks the aggression
11:40that it needs
11:41on the ground.
11:42It's one thing
11:43to be aggressive
11:43at a party session.
11:45The session is over,
11:46you all will go back
11:46to your various posts
11:48across the country.
11:49The Congress
11:50has become a lazy party.
11:52It's not passionate enough
11:53on the ground
11:54to take on a juggernaut
11:55like the BJP.
11:58Congress Party
11:59is a dynamic,
12:00flexible,
12:01vigilant Congress Party.
12:02We are in your position
12:03and I understand
12:04what our role is.
12:05We have been on the streets.
12:06You said we'll go back,
12:07I'm going to Patna
12:08day after for the Padhyatra.
12:10Elections are coming in Bihar.
12:11We're fully prepared for that.
12:12And this whole year,
12:13nine, ten months
12:14are focused on developing
12:15a cadre at the booth level
12:17to enthuse,
12:18encourage and
12:19excite our Congress workers,
12:20get young people
12:21onto the fold.
12:22We are doing it
12:22as we speak.
12:23But this year,
12:24I think for
12:25the sake of repetition,
12:28this year is an
12:28organizational year.
12:29We have very few elections,
12:30Rajdeep.
12:30This year,
12:31we are focused on that
12:32and believe you me,
12:33and I say this all the time,
12:35today's opposition
12:35is tomorrow's government.
12:37Today's opposition
12:38is tomorrow's government.
12:39Where will Sachin Pilot be?
12:41Will he be
12:41still looking at
12:44what is your future
12:47in all of this,
12:47if I may ask?
12:48When will they
12:49empower the pilots
12:50of the world?
12:51Or will you still
12:52have the old guard?
12:55Rajdeep,
12:55I think nobody can
12:56tell the future,
12:57neither you nor I.
12:58We can work in the present
13:00and currently our job today
13:01is strengthen our party.
13:02Whatever jobs
13:03and responsibility
13:03I get from the party,
13:04I do it diligently.
13:06What the future holds,
13:06I don't know.
13:07But I can tell you one thing,
13:08the Congress party
13:09will fight tooth and nail
13:10for our principles
13:11and convictions
13:11and the people of country
13:12have a lot of faith
13:13and expectation from us
13:14and we hope to deliver.
13:17Sachin Pilot,
13:18for joining me
13:19while you're on the road,
13:20we will wait and see
13:21whether the Congress party
13:22walks the talk this time,
13:24particularly when it comes
13:25to organizational issues.
13:27But for now,
13:27for joining me,
13:28I appreciate it
13:29and appreciate you
13:30taking the time.
13:31Thank you so much.
13:32Thank you so much.