Caste Census LIVE: Govt gave headline but where is deadline, questions Congress
Jairam Ramesh said many questions arise about the decision, especially on the intention of the government, and asked "where is the deadline" for conducting the census
The Congress on Thursday (May 1) claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "master of giving a headline without a deadline" and called the government's caste census decision a "diversionary tactic" in the face of demands for taking strong action against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said many questions arise about the decision, especially on the intention of the government, and asked "where is the deadline" for conducting the census.
Taking a swipe at the prime minister while addressing the media at the party's 24, Akbar Road office in Delhi, Ramesh said he is the "master at giving a headline without a deadline". He also said the BJP government agreeing to a caste census reflected their "moral and political defeat".
Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also urged for the allocation of sufficient funds and the fixing of a time limit for the caste enumeration in the next census, which has been announced by the Central government. He said, “They should also give a time limit. If there is no time limit, it will take a long time.”
First time since independence
In a surprising yet significant move, the Narendra Modi government on Wednesday (April 30) announced that caste enumeration will be part of the next population census, with the inclusion of caste details for the first time since independence.The decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs(CCPA) at its meeting in Delhi, presided over by Prime Minister Modi, comes ahead of assembly elections in Bihar, where caste is a key political issue and several parties, including some BJP allies have been coming out in support of the caste census.
While the Centre’s decision was hailed by the BJP and its allies as a “historic” step to help design “truly equitable and focused” policies, Opposition parties called it a victory for their long-standing demand and claimed that the BJP has been compelled to bow to the will of the majority.
The Congress and other opposition parties have been vociferously demanding a nationwide caste census, making it a major election issue, and some states like Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka have conducted such surveys.
Read The Federal’s stories on Caste Census
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Live Updates
- 1 May 2025 5:22 PM IST
Caste census aims to prevent injustice: Himachal CM
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu backs Rahul Gandhi’s call for caste census, saying it aims to ensure no caste faces injustice, not to create divisions.
- 1 May 2025 4:39 PM IST
Caste census will change the picture of development: Tariq Hameed Karra
JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra welcomed the Centre’s decision to conduct the caste census, saying it will strengthen democracy and advance development.
He credited Rahul Gandhi’s push for proportional participation as a driving force behind the decision, calling it a victory for Gandhi.
Karra emphasised that the census should be time-bound and noted that the government acted under mounting nationwide pressure.
- 1 May 2025 4:34 PM IST
Lalu Prasad fought continuously for the caste census: Tejashwi Yadav
Tejashwi Yadav credited Lalu Prasad Yadav for consistently advocating for the caste census and highlighted that the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar had already conducted it through its own investigation.
He questioned those who had long opposed the move and underscored that their party had been fighting for the caste census from the very beginning.
- 1 May 2025 4:25 PM IST
Caste census is a 100% victory for Dalits, OBCs, and minorities: Akhilesh Yadav
Akhilesh Yadav welcomed the Union government’s decision to conduct a caste census, calling it a major step towards achieving social justice.
He described the move as a “100 per cent victory” for the 90 per cent PDA (Backward, Dalit, and Minority communities) population and credited the collective pressure from opposition parties for compelling the BJP government to act.
Yadav framed the Centre's decision to conduct the caste census as a crucial milestone in the PDA’s broader struggle for social justice.
- 1 May 2025 4:10 PM IST
Govt should consider Jarange's demands with sympathy: Pankaja Munde
The government should consider the demands of Maratha quota agitator Manoj Jarange with sympathy, Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde said on Thursday.
Jarange on Wednesday announced a fresh hunger strike from August 29 to press the demand of reservation in government jobs and education for the Maratha community.
Munde urged the government to approach Jarange’s demands with sympathy, emphasising that the Maratha community deserves justice within the boundaries of the law.
Munde recalled a speech by her late father, Gopinath Munde, in which he had noted that a caste census would reveal the true picture of society, and she expressed her gratitude and congratulations to the Narendra Modi government for the move.
- 1 May 2025 4:00 PM IST
Revanth Reddy’s claim of having conducted a great caste census is false: Kavitha
Kavitha welcomed the Centre’s decision to conduct a caste census, calling it a long-pending demand and stressing the need for it to be done scientifically with full use of technology.
She criticised the Telangana government’s earlier caste census as non-transparent and accused CM Revanth Reddy of making false claims about its success.
Kavitha urged the Centre not to repeat Telangana’s flawed model and highlighted the importance of the caste census for ensuring fair allocation of resources and opportunities.
1 May 2025 3:53 PM ISTGovt should come out with clear-cut plan for caste census: MA Baby
The government should come out with a clear-cut plan for undertaking caste census and leaders of various political parties should be consulted on it, CPI-M general secretary MA Baby said on Thursday (May 1).
He also demanded a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and the situation in its aftermath.
Speaking after hoisting the CPI(M) flag at the party headquarters here to mark Labour Day, Baby said demand for caste census has been made by all opposition parties, including the CPI(M).
Baby noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said on multiple occasions that there are only four castes in India - poor, youth, women and farmers. However, he has been now "forced" to undertake the caste census, he stated.
Baby said the last caste census was conducted almost a century ago, and it is important to know the socio-economic situation of different caste groups.
- 1 May 2025 3:50 PM IST
Caste census decision exposes gap between true intentions and empty sloganeering: Pradhan
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday (May 1) asserted the government’s decision to include caste enumeration in the next census has exposed the difference between "true intentions and empty sloganeering".
Addressing a press conference at the BJP Headquarters, Pradhan termed the move as a "gamechanger decision" which has been welcomed by a majority of opposition parties. He also pushed back against the Congress for claiming credit for the caste census announcement.
- 1 May 2025 3:37 PM IST
Allocate sufficient funds, fix time limit, Kharge tells Centre
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (May 1) urged for allocation of sufficient funds and fixing of a time limit for the caste enumeration in the next census, which has been announced by the Central government.
Reiterating that he welcomes the decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census Kharge said, Congress and other opposition parties demanded for caste census and had staged agitation for it throughout the country, and now they are happy that they have achieved what they intended for.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, Jan Sangh and RSS by birth are against reservation, and such people are talking about Congress not being in favour of caste census.
In a major decision, the union government on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise in a "transparent" manner.
- 1 May 2025 3:27 PM IST
Caste census is our resolve to build a developed India: Union Minister Anupriya Patel
Union Minister Anupriya Patel said the Centre’s decision to conduct a caste census aims to uplift communities that have been left behind due to caste-based discrimination.
She emphasised that the government wants to frame policies to benefit these groups and provide them opportunities to progress, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building a developed India by including all castes.
