Dalits to Play ‘Central Role’ in Congress, Focus Shifts to UP Polls

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that Dalits will now play a “central role” within the party, while acknowledging that the rise of caste-based regional parties was partly due to Congress’s own policy failures in past decades.

Addressing a meeting of the party’s Scheduled Caste Department at the Congress headquarters on January 26, Rahul Gandhi said that if Congress had taken adequate steps for Dalits during the 1980s and 1990s, caste-based regional parties would neither have emerged so strongly nor attracted Dalit support.

According to sources present at the meeting, Gandhi praised BSP founder Kanshi Ram for uniting the Dalit community and instilling confidence among them. He alleged that the BJP is attempting to weaken regional parties while simultaneously eroding Dalit rights, which he said has led to a rise in atrocities against Dalits.

Rahul Gandhi stressed that Congress would protect Dalit rights and work towards fulfilling Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision. He asserted that Dalits would be given a significant and decisive role within the party structure.

Exactly a year ago, Gandhi had publicly admitted that Congress had neglected the OBC community and had apologized for it. He has now expressed similar sentiments regarding the Dalit community, signaling a broader outreach strategy toward marginalized and backward sections.

Through these efforts, Rahul Gandhi appears to be strengthening Congress’s position among Dalit and backward communities. During the recent Lok Sabha elections, he carried copies of the Constitution during rallies and accused the Modi government of putting constitutional values at risk.

Political observers believe this strategy played an important role in helping Congress and the INDIA alliance gain support among Dalit voters, contributing significantly to the party’s improved electoral performance. Gandhi has also strongly advocated for a caste census for the OBC category.

With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, Rahul Gandhi has intensified efforts to expand his outreach among Dalits and backward classes. Last week, he unveiled the statue of Dalit freedom fighter Veer Pasi in his Rae Bareli constituency and addressed a large Bahujan gathering.