Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi expressed full support for caste census. He also offered the support of the Congress to help the government to prepare and implement the census. Rahul Gandhi said in the press conference that we had said in Parliament that we will get caste census done. We also said that we would eliminate the limit of 50%, which is the artificial wall, will eliminate it. Narendra Modi used to say that there are only 4 cases. It is not known what happened but suddenly after 11 years caste census was announced.
The Congress leader said that we fully support it but we want a deadline. We want to know how long it will happen. That is the first step. The Telangana caste has become a model in census and can become a blueprint. We support the government in preparing the outline of caste census … There are two examples – there is a lot of difference between Bihar and Telangana and both. He further said that I would like to say again that caste census is the first step. Our dream is to set a new example of development through caste census.
He said that not only reservation, but we are also asking central questions – whether it is OBC, Dalit, Adivasi, what is their participation in this country? Caste census will be known, but we have to move beyond caste census … We had said one more thing, the Congress had raised one more thing, it was also mentioned in the manifesto — Article 15 (5) – Reservation in private educational institutions. This is already a law. We want the NDA-BJP government to start implementing it.
At the same time, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Indian National Congress had constantly raised the demand for caste census, which was the most vocal in favor of Rahul Gandhi. Today the Modi government has announced a caste census with Census. This is the right step that we were demanding from day one. I picked it up several times in Parliament and also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. The leaders of India alliance have also demanded caste census several times and became an important issue in the Lok Sabha elections. Repeatedly, Prime Minister Modi kept avoiding implementing this policy of social justice and making false accusations of dividing the society on the opposition.
He said that in the absence of caste census, the implementation of meaningful social justice and empowerment programs is incomplete, hence it is necessary for all classes. There is an allocation of only ₹ 575 crore in this year’s budget for the census, so the question is appropriate as to how and when the government will complete it. The Congress party demands that the Modi government start as soon as possible, by providing budget, census and caste census with full transparency. Caste census is necessary, everyone’s progress is incomplete without share justice.
