After Muslims, BJP may turn to Christians & Sikhs, says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi warned on Wednesday that the BJP, after successfully passing the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Parliament, would now turn its attention to Christian and Sikh religious institutions. Gandhi expressed his concerns during a one-day session of the All-India Congress Committee, where he also highlighted the potential economic crisis that could result from new tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump, which he said would have disastrous consequences for the country.

Gandhi criticised the Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling it an attack on the freedom of religion and the Constitution. He pointed out that the RSS mouthpiece Organiser had recently published an article proposing similar legislation targeting land controlled by Christian institutions. “The Waqf Bill is not just an assault on Muslims but also on the principle of freedom of religion,” Gandhi said. He also warned that the Sikh community could soon face similar attacks.

The Congress leader urged the public to understand that the Waqf Bill’s implications went beyond the Muslim community. “This is a threat to religious freedom for all communities,” he said. People across the country should realise this, he said.

Gandhi also expressed grave concerns over the economic situation in India, particularly the impact of new tariffs imposed by the US. Recalling the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Trump during Modi’s US visit, he said: “Did you see a photo of PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump hugging this time when the PM visited the US? Trump, whom PM Modi calls his friend, gave orders that this time they will not hug, rather new tariffs will be imposed. But PM Modi did not even utter a word. To divert the attention of the public, a drama was staged in Parliament for two days. The reality is that a financial storm is about to hit India,” Gandhi said. He also highlighted the rising unemployment rate, which he claimed had reached a 50-year high.

On the issue of caste-based reservations, Gandhi spoke about the need for a nationwide caste census. He emphasised the Congress party’s commitment to breaking the current 50% reservation limit for SC, ST, and OBC communities. “We took a revolutionary step of conducting a caste census in Telangana,” he said, adding that he had urged PM Modi to carry out a caste census across the country to understand the socio-economic share of various communities.

“PM Narendra Modi and RSS refuse caste census because they don’t want to reveal the share that minorities get in this country. I told him that we will pass the caste census law in the Parliament right in front of you,” Gandhi said at the meeting.

In his speech, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge echoed Gandhi’s sentiment, accusing the BJP of using divisive tactics reminiscent of British colonial rulers.

Nation