New Delhi: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday after the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs meeting, announced that the Centre has decided to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise.
The opposition has reacted to Modi government's announcement to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise. This would be the first such census since 193. A nation-wide caste census has been the Congress party's agenda since a long time now.
Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief reacting to the announcement said, “Caste Census should be done but currently we all are concerned with the terror attack that happened in Pahalgam. Actions should be taken in this matter immediately.” He further said,"Current priority should be to end terrorism."
Hailing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Telangana Chief Minister Reavanth Reddy said, "Based on the vision and direction of Shri @RahulGandhi Ji who first demanded a nation-wide Caste Census during his historic #BharatJodoYatra. Telangana is the first State to conduct caste survey last year."
He further said, "This was the first in Independent #India, the last one being in 1931 by the British. A State-wide comprehensive Social ,Economic,Caste Survey was conducted and found that 56.32 percent of the population belongs to the Backward Castes. Based on the report tabled in the #Telangana State Legislative Assembly, the state also resolved and proposed 42 per cent reservations for OBCs in education, work & political positions. @INCTelangana took the struggle across the country, including the national capital and protested at #JantarMantar seeking that the Central government agree for #CasteCensus Today, finally, we proved that what Telangana Does Today, India will follow tomorrow."
Welcoming the decision and thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the cabinet he said, "It is a proud moment that Shri Rahul Gandhi has shown how his vision has become a policy even in opposition. We are proud that the actions of Telangana government for OBC empowerment have inspired the country and India has agreed to also follow the actions of our state. We congratulate the Central government for deciding to conduct Caste Census as part of the next national census. Thanks to Prime Minister ji and the Cabinet."
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, Tejashwi Yadav said, "It was our 30-year-old demand. It's a victory for us - the Socialists and Lalu Yadav... Earlier, all the parties from Bihar met the PM, but he denied our demand. Many of the ministers denied this, but this is the strength of ours that they have to work on our agenda."
Notably, Bihar was the first state to table a caste census report in October 2023.
Calling the announcement "India's victory" Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "The decision of caste census is a 100% victory of the unity of 90% PDA. Due to the combined pressure of all of us, the BJP government has been forced to take this decision."
He further said, "This is a very important phase of PDA's victory in the fight for social justice. This is a warning to the BJP government to keep its electoral rigging away from the caste census."
"Only an honest census will ensure that every caste gets its rights and entitlements in proportion to its population, which the dominant castes have been eyeing till now. This is the first phase of a positive democratic movement for rights and the last phase of BJP's negative politics. BJP's hegemonic thinking will surely come to an end. Manvidhan cannot last long in front of the Constitution. This is India's victory!" he added.
The census exercise was slated to commence in April 2020 but got delayed due to the unprecedented Covid pandemic. Had the exercise been carried out as per the 10-year schedule, the report would have been published in 2021.
