Daijiworld Media Network - Kanpur

Kanpur, Mar 13: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday stated that if former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were alive today, Bahujan leader Kanshi Ram would have become the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Gandhi made the remarks while addressing a ‘Samajik Parivartan Divas’ (Social Change Day) programme at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan on the occasion of Kanshi Ram’s birth anniversary. He paid tribute to Kanshi Ram for dedicating his life to fighting for equality and social justice for marginalized communities.

Acknowledging the Congress party’s past shortcomings, Gandhi said, “If the Congress had functioned effectively at that time, Kanshi Ram would not have needed to wage a separate struggle,” adding that Nehru would have ensured Kanshi Ram rose to the position of Chief Minister. During the event, a proposal was passed demanding Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, for Kanshi Ram.

Launching a sharp critique of the Centre, Gandhi alleged that power and resources are concentrated in the hands of a few. He urged people to examine the composition of bureaucracy, corporate leadership, and management of major companies, noting that Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis have minimal representation in these sectors. “In contrast, these communities are overwhelmingly represented among MGNREGA workers,” he said.

Gandhi further claimed that opportunities for Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs are being systematically curtailed under the present government, particularly in public sector recruitment and interviews. He emphasized that the Congress believes in providing equal opportunities and fair representation to all sections of society.

Highlighting the ideology of the Indian Constitution, Gandhi said it draws from the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, and Gautam Buddha, and does not reflect the views of Vinayak Savarkar or Nathuram Godse.

He criticized Indian society’s division into a 15 percent privileged minority and an 85 percent majority, with resources and power largely confined to the smaller section. Gandhi reiterated that Congress would continue to fight for social justice, equality, and greater participation of marginalized communities in governance.

“We need politics that bring social change—politics that enable the inclusion of the poor, Dalits, backward classes, and tribals in the country’s power structures,” he said.

Earlier, Gandhi was received at the Lucknow airport by state Congress leaders and party workers before attending the event.