NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been sent a notice by
Bareily district court
in Uttar Pradesh for his statement on
economic survey
during the
Lok Sabha elections
campaigning .
The notice directed the Congress leader to appear before the court on 7 January.
Pankaj Pathak
, who is the petitioner, said that the Congress leader’s statements on the
caste census
during the Lok Sabha elections were intended to ‘divide the nation.’ The petitioner said that he had initially approached the MP-MLA court, but after it was dismissed, he took the matter to the district court, where the appeal was accepted and a notice was issued to Rahul Gandhi.
“We felt that the statement given by Rahul Gandhi during the elections on caste census was like an attempt to start a civil war in the country…We first filed a case against him in MP-MLA court which was dismissed. After that we went to the District Judge Court, our appeal was accepted there and a notice was issued to Rahul Gandhi…The date in the notice is for 7th January…”
The petitioner’s reference is to Rahul Gandhi statement where he had said if Congress was voted into office in the Lok Sabha elections, it would conduct a financial and institutional survey to ascertain who is in possession of the wealth of the country, and would then undertake an exercise to redistribute the same.
In Tukkuguda, while releasing the poll manifesto, Gandhi stressed on “jitni aabadi, utna haq”.
“First, we will conduct a caste census…to know the exact population and status of backward castes, SCs, STs, minorities and other castes. After that, the financial and institutional survey will begin. Subsequently, we will take up the historic assignment to distribute the wealth of India, jobs and other welfare schemes to these sections based on their population,” he had said.
The statement, which was opposed by several parties, is now back to the fore with the district court issuing a notice to the Congress leader.
Responding to the court’s notice, Congress leader Udit Raj said, “There is nothing to be discussed about this issue…This is a waste notice…The judges should be removed from their posts…”
