Constitution under "attack" from BJP-RSS combine: Rahul Gandhi
Patna (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the Constitution was under "attack" from the BJP-RSS combine, which was trying to hoodwink people by a show of deference towards Dalit icons like B R Ambedkar.
The statement from the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha came at a function in the Bihar capital, organised on the birth anniversary of Dalit freedom fighter and Congress activist Jaglal Choudhary.
"Today, Delhi assembly polls are underway. But, I believed this function was equally important. So I flew down after casting my vote,” said the 54-year-old leader.
In a speech that lasted close to 30 minutes, Gandhi spoke extensively of the need to ensure better "bhagidaari" (participation) of Dalits, tribals and OBCs in all walks of life, asserting that mere political representation was not enough.
"I want to see the day when Dalits, tribals and backwards become leaders, not just footsoldiers, in bureaucracy and the private sector,” said the former Congress president.
Waving a pocket-size edition of the Constitution, he alleged, "As long as this is in force, Dalits and other deprived sections of the society can hope for a better life. The BJP-RSS knows this, so they attack the Constitution, but not overtly.”
"You can see Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowing before the Constitution and the statue of Ambedkar. Today, many RSS leaders can also be seen singing paeans to Ambedkar. They do so while working against the very ideals that Ambedkar espoused,” claimed Gandhi.
"Modi says representation is being given to deprived classes and cites the number of tickets they get in elections. But, he has snatched away all powers from MLAs and MPs. Even his ministers function with an OSD appointed on recommendation of the RSS breathing down their necks,” alleged the Congress leader.
Gandhi also asserted that the number of Dalits is negligible in the media, a reason why their issues do not get highlighted.
In educational institutions, Dalits have still not reached the stage where “we can see them setting the question papers”, he said.
"The public health network in the country, which was meant to serve the needs of common people, is giving way to private hospitals that are owned by Ambani, Adani and their ilk. Needless to say, there is no Dalit among the country's billionaires,” Gandhi claimed.
The former Congress chief said the first step in the direction of better participation of the depressed classes would be a caste census, "a veritable X-ray of the society... which the Modi government wants to avoid but we are determined to push through".
He also claimed that the caste survey in Bihar, ruled by the BJP-led NDA, was not up to the mark, unlike a similar exercise undertaken by his party's government in Telangana.
During his speech, Gandhi cited the example of the change that came about in the US when “Blacks started having a say in the system”
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
