Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that the true meaning of a caste census is justice, adding that his party will also “break the wall of 50 per cent” reservation limit.

Addressing the Samvidhan Samman Sammelan in Nagpur, the former Congress chief hit out at the BJP and its ideological parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing them of attacking the Constitution and thereby attacking the voice of the country.

Ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the event was organised at the Suresh Bhatt Hall in Reshimbagh area of Nagpur, which is adjacent to Dr Hedgewar Smruti Mandir, a memorial of RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.

Attack on Constitution by RSS-BJP is an attack on the voice of India, Gandhi said. He explained the idea behind the Constitution and said it is not just a book but it is a way of life. He said what is written in the Constitution has been said by many great personalities like Lord Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, and Phule.

“It is written in it that there should be equality among all, every religion, every language, every caste should be respected,” the Congress leader said.

“Different institutions of government are formed by the Constitution. If there was no Constitution, then the Election Commission would not have been formed,” he said.

India’s education system, IIT, IIM, primary education system, and secondary education system were created because of the Constitution, he said, adding that “if this is removed, you will not get a public school, public hospital, public college”.

Gandhi also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments on Congress leader, saying, “Whenever I talk about caste census, Modiji says that Rahul Gandhi talks about dividing the country. But I am telling the country that 90% of the people of India are not participating in the progress of the country.”

He added, “If you see tribal, Dalit, backward people, you will see them standing in MNREGA queue or working as laborers. You will not find these people in the media or the judiciary.”

“Whatever the BJP-RSS people say or do… Caste census will be conducted in India and the wall of 50% reservation will be broken,” he said.

The Rae Bareli MP recalled a meeting that he attended recently in his constituency where he asked the officers to introduce themselves. Gandhi said when the introduction started, he did not find a single name belonging to the Dalit and OBC categories.

“From corporate to judiciary, we do not see people from Dalit, OBC and tribal communities. This is the situation everywhere, where we cannot see 90% of India,” Gandhi added.

The senior Congress leader also spoke on how the idea of caste census came to him, saying, “When he was interacting with the public, a small voice came to him – caste census. But then gradually this voice grew bigger. We have named it caste census, but its real meaning is justice.”

A case was registered against actor-turned-BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty by West Bengal Police on Wednesday for allegedly delivering a provocative speech during a party programme in North 24 Parganas district last month.

According to reports, the complaint against Chakraborty pertains to a speech he made during a BJP programme at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake area on October 27, based on which police registered an FIR at Bidhannagar South Police Station.

The programme, which took place in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, was organised to kick off the West Bengal leg of the BJP’s membership drive.

“We have started an investigation into the case,” said a senior officer of Bidhannagar police reported by PTI.

BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar described the FIR a result of vendetta politics. Chakraborty has not commented on the FIR yet.

“There is nothing provocative in his speech. These are nothing but attempts to intimidate him by using police as a political tool,” the BJP state president said.

Chakraborty, who was awarded India’s highest film honor, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, earlier this year, asserted on October 27 that the “masnad” (throne) of West Bengal will be claimed by the BJP following the 2026 Assembly elections. He pledged to utilise all necessary efforts to accomplish this objective.

During his address at a program organised by the EZCC, Chakraborty stated, “In 2026, the masnad will be ours, and we will undertake all actions required to achieve this goal.”

In reference to TMC MLA Humayun Kabir’s communal comments directed at BJP supporters during the Lok Sabha elections, Chakraborty cautioned against any attempts to intimidate voters affiliated with the saffron party, encouraging them not to abstain from participating in the forthcoming Assembly elections. He called upon the booth-level workers of the BJP to firmly resist any such efforts.

On Wednesday, chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ echoed through the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly amid ruckus over the passing of a resolution calling for a dialogue between the Centre and elected representatives regarding the restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status.

The Assembly witnessed chaos after the resolution’s approval, as BJP members surged into the well of the House, tearing copies of the document and directing slogans at the speaker and the National Conference (NC) government.

The intense protests from BJP members led to multiple interruptions in the proceedings, ultimately prompting the speaker to adjourn the session for the day.

As tensions escalated, NC and BJP representatives exchanged sharp remarks while opposition members raised various slogans, including ‘Jai Shri Ram,’ ‘August 5 Zindabad,’ ‘Vande Mataram,’ ‘Anti-national Agenda Nahi Chalega,’ ‘Anti-Jammu Agenda Nahi Chalega,’ ‘Pakistani Agenda Nahin Chalega,’ and ‘Speaker Hai Hai’.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Sunil Sharma, accused the speaker of bias, asserting, “Reports indicate that you (the speaker) convened a meeting of ministers yesterday to draft the resolution yourself.”

“We condemn the introduction of the bill by NC-Cong aimed at reinstating Article 370, deeming it unconstitutional and misleading. J&K legislative Assembly is not above the parliament and Supreme Court of India, which upheld the abrogation of Article 370. Abdullah family cannot restore 370 even after taking a thousand generations,” he said, speaking to the media.

Another BJP member, Sham Lal Sharma, claimed that the resolution was prepared in collusion with the speaker in a guest house.

Sharma further argued that the Assembly election mandate supported the abrogation of Article 370, highlighting that the BJP secured 26 per cent of the votes compared to NC’s 23 per cent. He urged the speaker to act independently, accusing him of behaving like an NC leader during the proceedings.

The Assembly approved the resolution by voice vote amidst the uproar from BJP members. The resolution, introduced by J&K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, sought to restore the special status that was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019.

Choudhary’s resolution emphasised the significance of the special status and constitutional guarantees that protected the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, expressing concern over their removal.

It urged the Government of India to commence dialogue with elected representatives from Jammu and Kashmir to restore the special status and constitutional protections, while ensuring that any restoration process respects both national unity and the legitimate aspirations of the region’s residents.