Caste Census Announced: In a big development, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the caste enumeration will be part of the forthcoming census. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that some states have done caste surveys and conducting a census is in the domain of the central government.
Addressing the media, Union Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw criticised the Congress for not conducting caste census. “Congress governments have always opposed the caste census. In 2010, the late Dr Manmohan Singh said that the matter of caste census should be considered in the Cabinet. A group of ministers was formed to consider this subject. Most of the political parties have recommended a caste census. Despite this, the Congress government decided to conduct a survey of caste or a caste census. It is well understood that Congress and its INDI alliance partners have used the caste census only as a political tool,” Vaishnaw said.
Reacting to the caste census done by Bihar and Congress-ruled state of Telangana, Viashnaw said, “Some states have conducted surveys to enumerate castes. While some states have done this well, some others conducted such surveys only from a political angle in a non-transparent way. Such surveys created doubts in society. To ensure that our social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be included in the census instead of surveys.”
Vaishnaw said this will strengthen the social and economic structure of the society while the nation continues to progress. “Under the leadership of PM Modi, the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs has decided today that Caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming census. This demonstrates that the government is committed to the values and interests of the society and the country,” he said.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress party have been demanding that caste census be held across the country to decide the equitable distribution of reservation and quota. The Congress had earlier made the caste census issues a bigger poll plank in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Stay informed on all the , real-time updates, and follow all the important headlines in and on Zee News.
