'Will destroy fake barrier of 50% quota cap': Rahul Gandhi bats for Dalits, OBCs in Bihar

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday latched on to the global stock market crash to mock the NDA-led Bihar government over the state's development.
While speaking during the Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan in Patna, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed that less than one per cent of people in Bihar had invested in the stock market, virtually saving them from the losses.
"The US president has led to a tumble in the stock market. Less than 1% of the people here have their money invested in the stock market, which means the stock market is not a field for you," the Congress leader said.
"Unlimited money is made in it, but you don't get the benefit of it," he added.
During the event, Rahul also alleged that people from weaker sections of society are being treated as second-class citizens. He further vowed to demolish the "fake barriers" of the 50 percent cap on reservations.
"Congress will conduct X-ray of India through caste census for benefit of socially backward classes," Rahul said.
"Ambedkar ji fought for Dalits. He understood the pain and the truth of the Dalits. And he fought for that truth. That is why Mahatma Gandhi's biography is named 'My Experiments with Truth', not 'My Experiments with Lies', something that PM Modi may write. The fight is for the truth. Speaking the truth is tough in India. The entire nation knows that even huge leaders are not able to speak the truth. But what is the example given by Gautam Buddha, Ambedkar ji and Gandhiji? We don't have to be afraid and put the truth in front of the nation. The ideology of Phule ji, Ambedkar ji and Gandhiji is in your and my blood and no one can remove it," he added.
Meanwhile, the Congress leader accompanied by youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar, began the much-publicized padayatra, which saw large crowds and enthusiastic youth participation.
The Raebareli MP shared a minute-long video message on X on Sunday, urging the youth of Bihar to join him in the march in Begusarai wearing "white T-shirts."
"Our aim is to draw the attention of the world to the plight of Bihar's youth, who find government jobs getting scarce day by day and privatization bringing no benefits. Let us bring the government in the state under pressure and change it," he said in the video.
The campaign is aimed at highlighting issues of unemployment and forced migration and forms part of the Congress's broader effort to regain political ground in Bihar ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections.
This comes as the state faces a high stakes legislative assembly election for all 243 constituencies in October or November this year. The last assembly elections were held in October-November 2020.