– Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday reiterated its demand for a timely and transparent caste census, following the BJP-led Centre’s announcement. The party warned it shouldn’t become another broken promise like the Women’s Reservation Bill.
In a resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), led by president Mallikarjun Kharge, the party welcomed the move but flagged a lack of clarity and funding. “No details have been shared on the process, and no financial allocation has been made,” the CWC noted.
Kharge, in his opening remarks, congratulated Rahul Gandhi for persistently raising the issue, especially during the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign and earlier. The party credited him as the strongest voice for a national caste census.
Ulaka said Congress won’t let it go the way of the Women’s Bill or BJP’s false promises like 2 crore jobs per year.
The resolution pointed out that the Modi government had opposed the demand for 11 years but finally gave in. It also noted that PM Modi had previously criticized Congress on this issue.
It recalled that in April 2023, Kharge had written to the PM demanding an updated caste census and the removal of the 50% cap on reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs.
Rahul Gandhi first raised the demand during the 2022 Nav Sankalp Shivir in Udaipur. He argued that government policies should be based on actual caste data. The demand was also included in Congress’s 2019 and 2024 manifestos and reaffirmed at the 2023 Raipur plenary.
Quoting Rahul Gandhi, the CWC said reservation and welfare policies shouldn’t rely on outdated data or arbitrary limits, but on facts.
The resolution also called for immediate implementation of Article 15(5) to ensure OBC, Dalit, and Adivasi reservations in private educational institutions. “It’s not just a legal provision—it’s a social justice necessity,” it said.
Citing Telangana’s caste survey, the Congress urged the Centre to follow a similar inclusive model. It also demanded a parliamentary debate and consensus among all parties.
The party asked for funds and a fixed timeline for every step—questionnaire preparation, data collection, classification, and publication.
“A well-designed caste census will benefit all communities,” the CWC said.
After the meeting, leaders like Jairam Ramesh, Bhupesh Baghel, Sachin Pilot, Charanjit Singh Channi, and Saptagiri Ulaka stressed urgency.
Sachin Pilot said BJP gave in due to public pressure, thanks to Congress’s push. Baghel called it a “victory for Rahul Gandhi” but warned against making it a distraction.
Baghel added, “It must not just be a checkbox—it should expose real socio-economic conditions.”
