OBC, Dalit, tribal are 73%, but none among top 200 firms in India owned by them: Rahul Gandhi
Prayagraj (UP), Feb 18: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Sunday said the OBC, Dalit and tribal constitute 73 per cent of the population but not even one of the top 200 companies in India is owned by them.
Addressing a gathering during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra here, he said a caste census is an X-ray of the country which would "reveal everything".
"Caste census is your (youth's) weapon and you have to find out what is your population," he told the gathering as he came of the Swaraj Bhawan, at Lakshmi Talkies intersection near Allahabad University. "Secondly, you have to find out what is your share in the country's wealth."
"How much wealth do the 73 per cent castes have in this country? Caste census is the X-ray of the country. This will reveal everything," he said.
Gandhi called a student from the crowd to his vehicle and asked him, "Which class do you belong to?" The student replied that he was from the OBC category. On this, Gandhi said, "The OBC class in the country is 50 per cent, Dalits are 15 per cent and tribals are eight percent."
"Youths like you have no future in this country. Your (OBC, Dalit, Tribal) population is 73 percent, but not even one of the top 200 companies in India is owned by an OBC or Dalit. Only three people are from your category are in the list of 90 top IAS officers of the country. You don't have a single person in the media."
Gandhi also alleged that not a single person from the OBC or tribal category at the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22.
During the public meeting, many students stood holding placards against exam paper leak. "This (paper leak) is a way to stop you from moving forward," the former Congress president told them.
Accusing the government of writing off loans of big industrialists, Gandhi said the BJP never waived off farmers' loans.
Loans worth Rs 14-lakh crore of 10-15 industrialists have been waived off, he claimed. "Industrialists ask for bank loans worth lakhs of crores of rupees and they get the loan within seconds, but Dalits and backward people are chased away from the banks."
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said Gandhi reached the Swaraj Bhawan directly from the Prayagraj airport. He met Congress workers there before taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra.
The yatra will go to Mauaima via Teliarganj, Phaphamau and Holagarh where the yatra will halt.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, State Congress President Ajay Rai and former MLA Anugrah Narayan Singh were present during the yatra as it got underway in an open jeep at 4 pm.
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Passenger slapped during panic attack on IndiGo flight, sparks outrage on social media
Mumbai/Kolkata/Silchar: A shocking incident aboard IndiGo flight 6E138 from Mumbai to Kolkata has gone viral, sparking outrage after a video emerged showing a man being slapped mid-flight while reportedly suffering a panic attack. The victim, identified as Hossain Ahmed Mazumdar from Assam, has since gone missing, and his family is seeking urgent answers.
The video, widely circulated on social media, shows Hossain in visible distress, attempting to leave his seat and reportedly requesting to deboard. As flight attendants tried to calm him down, another passenger suddenly approached and slapped him. The incident triggered immediate protest from fellow travellers.
A young man suffers a panic attack, his co passenger slaps him. Indigo airlines says “All appropriate regulatory agencies have been duly informed, in line with protocol.”
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) August 1, 2025
This is a criminal case and the man needs to be on a No Fly List @DGCAIndia pic.twitter.com/dY1gQC6ze0
Hossain, a gym trainer based in Mumbai, was en route to his hometown Katigorah in Cachar district via a connecting flight from Kolkata to Silchar. However, he never boarded the Silchar flight, and his mobile phone remains unreachable. His family, who had gathered at the Silchar airport, are now in distress. Zubairul Islam Mazumdar, a relative, said, “We have no idea where he is. We’ve contacted the police and airport authorities but haven’t received any concrete information.” His father, Abdul Mannan Mazumdar, who is undergoing cancer treatment, said tearfully, “He was our only hope. Now we don’t even know if he’s safe.” In a statement issued on August 1, IndiGo Airlines said: “We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable, and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew. Our crew acted in accordance with established procedures. The individual identified as unruly was handed over to the security authorities upon arrival. Regulatory agencies have been informed as per protocol.”
We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 1, 2025
Our crew acted in accordance with…
However, the airline's statement has been criticised for failing to clarify what happened to Hossain after the incident, whether he received medical help, was detained, or was allowed to continue his journey.
Weak kneed response from @IndiGo6E . Has the man who got physical with a fellow passenger been put on a no-fly list? Has Indigo followed up on its complaint at point of disembarkation? If the passenger was handed over to the @CISFAirport were charges pressed? pic.twitter.com/qXMnfiBbFE
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) August 1, 2025
The video triggered widespread anger on social media, with many users interpreting the slap as a possible hate-driven act. However, aviation journalist Jagriti Chandra of The Hindu offered a clarification on X, stating: “The passenger who assaulted a co-passenger aboard IndiGo flight was handed over to law enforcement agencies for unruly conduct. Incident occurred after one passenger was feeling uncomfortable in the flight and wanted to deboard. Both belong to the same religious community.”
The passenger who assaulted a co-passenger aboard IndiGo flight handed over to law enforcement agencies for unruly conduct. Incident after one passenger was feeling uncomfortable in the flight and wanted to de board.
— Jagriti Chandra (@jagritichandra) August 1, 2025
Both belong to the same religious community.
Incident on… https://t.co/f0QPXG5hxG
Despite this clarification, concerns remain about the airline's handling of a visibly distressed passenger, particularly in the context of mental health. Unverified posts circulating on social media claim that Hossain was later found, though there has been no official confirmation from authorities or the airline.
Alhamdulillah! Hussain Ahmed Mazumder, who was assaulted on an IndiGo flight while returning from Mumbai to Silchar and went missing, has now been found safe in Kolkata.
— Munir (@tapadar_1314) August 1, 2025
He is stable and in contact with his family. pic.twitter.com/MEGSGzHTk7
