09-10-2023 : In a significant move ahead of an impending election season, the Congress party has intensified its call for a caste census, making it a central focus of its agenda. During a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) under the leadership of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, the party unanimously resolved that if they come to power, they will conduct a nationwide caste census as part of the regular decadal census. This resolution underscores the urgency of addressing the disparity between caste representation and population share, as revealed by Bihar’s recent caste survey.
The CWC expressed its appreciation for the release of the caste survey conducted by the Bihar state government and stressed the necessity of taking effective measures to ensure social justice. Additionally, the resolution welcomed the objective of the Justice Rohini Commission, appointed by the Narendra Modi government, to sub-categorize OBCs. However, it emphasized that this objective would remain incomplete without detailed socioeconomic data, which could be obtained either from the unreleased 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census data or a new caste census.
The Congress party accused the Modi government of neglecting the OBC communities and other marginalized sections of society by failing to release the data of the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census and by postponing the decadal Census that should have taken place in 2021. This, the resolution stated, is a matter of shame, especially considering that India is the only G20 country that has failed to conduct the Census.
The Congress pledged that if their government takes office, it will conduct a nationwide caste census as part of the regular decadal census due in 2021. They also committed to implementing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies promptly, ensuring adequate representation for women from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs. The party vowed to remove any unnecessary obstacles imposed by the Modi government regarding the Census and delimitation.
While the Congress’s stand on reservation format slightly differs from its earlier demand for proportionate reservation, party leader Rahul Gandhi played a prominent role in championing the caste census cause. During a press conference following the CWC meeting, Rahul emphasized that the decision was unanimous and that the Congress-ruled states would conduct caste censuses at the state level. He underscored that the issue transcends caste or religion and is primarily about addressing poverty, ultimately opening up new avenues for development.
Rahul also questioned the BJP’s commitment to the OBC cause, highlighting the disparity in OBC representation among chief ministers from both parties. He criticized Prime Minister Modi for failing to address the caste census issue and diverting the attention of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis. The Congress sought to connect the demand for a caste census with Rahul’s interactions with the public during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and this demand was reiterated in the Raipur declaration at the 85th Congress Plenary Session.
In his opening remarks, Mallikarjun Kharge stressed the importance of having scientific socio-economic data for marginalized sections to effectively implement government programs and welfare schemes. He emphasized that deliberations on the caste-based census were essential for this purpose.
Former party president Sonia Gandhi expressed her full support for the caste census, stating, “I am 100 percent with the caste census. We must get it done.” This united stance by the Congress underscores their commitment to addressing the issue of caste disparity and promoting social justice through a nationwide caste census if they come to power.