The Congress party on Wednesday intensified its demand for a clear timeline for conducting the caste-based census, shortly after the union government signaled its intent to undertake the long-pending exercise. The party also called for urgent constitutional amendments to eliminate the 50 percent cap on reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
“Headline Without Deadline Makes No Sense”: Jairam Ramesh
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh criticized the BJP-led central government’s announcement, saying it lacked clarity and sincerity. “Headline without deadline makes no sense,” Ramesh stated, quoting Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s demand for a concrete timeline.
He further questioned the sudden shift in the government’s stance, recalling how Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously dismissed calls for a caste census by labeling its proponents “urban Naxals.” “Now that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister are advocating for the census, should we consider them ‘urban Naxals’ too?” Ramesh asked rhetorically.
Call for Legal Framework and Budgetary Support
Ramesh emphasized that conducting the caste census without the necessary legislative backing would be ineffective. He urged the government to reconvene Parliament to enact the requisite amendments to the Constitution, particularly to eliminate the current 50% ceiling on reservations.
He cited Article 15(5) of the Constitution, which allows for reservation in private educational institutions, and demanded its immediate implementation. “This is already part of the law. What’s needed is enforcement, not delay,” he asserted.
Insufficient Budget Allocation Raises Doubts
Highlighting the budgetary discrepancies, Ramesh expressed skepticism about the government’s commitment to the exercise. He pointed out that in 2019, the cabinet had approved Rs 8,254 crore for the 2021 census, while in the current budget, only Rs 575 crore has been earmarked for the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
“How can a serious nationwide census be carried out with such a paltry amount, especially when costs would have risen significantly in the last four years?” he questioned.
UPA’s 2011 Caste Census Still Being Used
The senior Congress leader also mentioned that the data collected during the UPA-era Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) of 2011 continues to inform several government schemes, despite never being officially published. “That census had covered nearly 25 crore households,” Ramesh noted, underscoring the scale and potential of the exercise.
Congress Wants Assurance of Follow-Up Action
Ramesh called on the central government to collaborate with state governments for effective execution and follow-up of the caste census. He also demanded a public assurance from the Prime Minister that the process would be thorough and that the necessary structural changes, such as constitutional amendments, would follow.
CWC to Meet on Friday
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is scheduled to meet on Friday to deliberate on the caste census issue and formulate the party’s strategy in response to the government’s move. The party is expected to sharpen its focus on social justice and equity in the coming days, with caste census being a central point.