PM Modi makes a “desperate turn” to caste census: Congress

Congress claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a “desperate turn” to the caste census, asking on Sunday if he would have honest people acknowledged that his administration had formally changed its policies on the subject and promised a timeline for such investigations. The Secretary-General of Congress announced that Jairam Ramesh said there was a lot of evidence about Prime Minister Modi's “sudden, complete and desperate turn” in the caste census. Ramesh cited an example, saying that in a television interview on April 28, 2024, Modi called all those who requested a caste census “urban taxpayers.”
Congress leader said on X: “On July 20, 2021, the Modi government told parliament that it decided on the policy decision not to list other caste populations of SC and STS in the census.”
In its affidavit to the Supreme Court dated September 21, 2021, the Modi government clearly stated that “the information on any other caste (outside SC and STS) outside the Census (2021) (2021), which is a conscious policy decision by the central government as stated earlier.”

“In fact, the Modi government has clearly urged the Supreme Court not to order caste census for OBCS. In this case. Action,” Ramesh said.

Ramesh asked three questions to the Prime Minister, asking him if he had honestly admitted that his government had formally changed its policies on caste census over the past 11 years. Ramesh further inquired that he would explain to the people the reasons for the changes in government policies. He also questioned whether the Prime Minister would work on the timetable of the caste census.

Congress said the government’s caste census decision fits its model of opposing all good plans or policies first, slandering it, and then adopting the same policy in the face of public pressure and reality.

The opposition also claimed that Prime Minister Modi was “the master of headlines given without deadlines” and called the government’s caste census decision a “transfer strategy” to take strong action against Pakistan in the face of Pahargam terrorist attacks.

The center announced Wednesday that caste will be part of the next population census, including caste details for the first time since independence.

Opposition parties, including Congress, have been demanding a national caste census, making it a major election issue. Some states such as Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka have conducted such surveys.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a decision made by the Cabinet Political Affairs Committee, saying that these censuses fall under the authority of the centre, but that some states have conducted caste enumerations in the name of “non-perspective”, which raises social doubts.