India's LoP Rahul Gandhi Acknowledges Past Oversight, Vows Course Correction On Social Justice

India's Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday publicly acknowledged that he failed to adequately represent the interests of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) during much of his political career. 

Speaking at the 'Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan' in Delhi, Gandhi said that although he had worked extensively on legislation concerning Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other marginalised communities, he did not engage deeply with the complexities faced by the OBC population.

Image Source: INC India

Reflecting on his two-decade political journey since 2004, Gandhi said, “When I look back, I see one thing clearly -- I made a mistake. I didn’t protect the OBC section like I should have. The reason is I didn’t fully understand their issues at the time.” 

He added that the responsibility was personal, not institutional, and pledged to correct the oversight with renewed focus.

Gandhi reaffirmed his commitment to a nationwide caste census and linked it to the broader question of social justice and representation. 

He said that had he known more about the history and issues faced by OBCs earlier, he would have championed the caste census long ago. “It’s not the Congress party’s mistake. It’s mine. But I am going to rectify it,” he stated.

The Congress leader also targeted the Narendra Modi government for what he called systemic exclusion of Bahujan communities--comprising SCs, STs, and OBCs--from the higher education sector. 

Citing figures presented in Parliament, he said that a large majority of reserved posts in central universities remain vacant: 83% for STs, 80% for OBCs, and 64% for SCs at the professor level; and similarly high vacancy rates at the associate professor level.

In a post on social media, Gandhi described the vacancies not as bureaucratic lapse but as a deliberate attempt to keep marginalised communities out of research, education, and policymaking. 

“Thousands of qualified SC, ST, and OBC candidates are being excluded under the excuse of 'Not Found Suitable',” he wrote, calling it a form of “Manuvadi exclusion” that demands immediate rectification.

मैंने ठान लिया है कि देश की उत्पादक शक्ति को सम्मान और हिस्सेदारी दिलाकर रहूंगा। जो काम OBC वर्ग के लिए अबतक नहीं कर पाया, उसे दोगुनी स्पीड से करूंगा। pic.twitter.com/qoNlG2k5As

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 25, 2025

The BJP responded with a sharp counterattack. Party spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi challenged Gandhi to account for the number of OBC ministers in the last UPA government and the number of faculty appointments under reserved categories made between 2004 and 2014. 

Trivedi questioned the credibility of Gandhi’s remarks, accusing the Congress party of historically sidelining backward classes.

In his speech, Gandhi contrasted the visibility of Dalit and tribal issues with the relatively hidden struggles of OBC communities. 

He said that while the injustices faced by Dalits—such as untouchability--were visible and historically recognised, OBC issues were often obscured within complex social structures.

He also pointed to the recent caste survey in Telangana as a turning point, describing it as a political “tsunami” whose impact, he believes, will soon ripple across the national landscape.

The Congress leader’s remarks signal a renewed effort by the party to reclaim the social justice agenda, especially as political competition around OBC representation intensifies ahead of the next general election. 

Gandhi concluded by promising to “double his efforts” in championing OBC rights going forward.