The Congress on Thursday sharpened its attack on the Centre over the delay in conducting a nationwide caste census, with senior leader Jairam Ramesh accusing the government of a “dramatic U-turn” on the issue and demanding an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a detailed statement marking one year since the government announced that caste enumeration would be included in the upcoming Census, Ramesh said, “Today, exactly a year ago, the Modi government had declared that caste enumeration of the entire population will be part of the Census. A full year has passed, but the details of how this will be carried out are still awaited.”
He outlined what he described as a shifting stance by the government, recalling that on July 21, 2021, union Home Minister Amit Shah had informed the Lok Sabha that caste-wise population enumeration would not be undertaken as a matter of policy. Ramesh further pointed to a September 21, 2021, affidavit filed by the Centre in the Supreme Court, which stated that any directive to conduct such an exercise would amount to interference in a policy decision already taken by the government.
The Congress leader also cited correspondence from party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who had written to the Prime Minister on April 16, 2023, urging that an updated caste census be included as part of the regular Census exercise. He added that the Prime Minister, in an April 28, 2024, interview, had criticized the demand, calling it reflective of “urban naxal” thinking.
“The Prime Minister owes the leadership of the Indian National Congress an apology for this accusation,” Ramesh said, adding, “More importantly, he owes the people of India an explanation for this sudden change of position when he went on to announce caste enumeration on April 30, 2025.”
Ramesh alleged that despite the announcement, there has been little progress or transparency. “There has been no dialogue with Opposition parties, state governments, or even domain experts on how such a complex and sensitive exercise will be conducted,” he said.
He also flagged that a subsequent letter sent by Kharge to the Prime Minister on May 5, 2025, raising concerns over the proposed caste census, “was not even acknowledged,” and argued that the issues highlighted in it have only grown in relevance.
The Congress leader further claimed that recent developments, including the special session of Parliament, suggest that the government may be attempting to delay the exercise. “It is evident that the Prime Minister has every intention of postponing the caste census,” he said.
The demand for a caste-based census has remained a politically contentious issue, with opposition parties arguing that updated data is essential for informed policymaking and social justice measures, while the government has, in the past, expressed reservations, citing administrative and policy considerations.
