Opposition Leader’s Accusations
On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, condemned the central government for failing to provide any framework or discussion regarding the caste census in Parliament. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration of betraying the interests of marginalized communities.
Gandhi shared his response to a question posed in Parliament, asserting that the government shows no intention of conducting a caste census.
He expressed his concerns on X, stating that his inquiry about the caste census was met with a shocking response from the government. There was no concrete framework, no timeline, no discussion in Parliament, and no communication with the public. Furthermore, he noted a lack of willingness to learn from successful caste census strategies implemented in other states. He labeled the Modi government’s stance on the caste census as a betrayal of the country’s marginalized communities.
Gandhi also inquired about the major procedural steps and potential timelines for preparing the decennial census, including the drafting of questions and scheduling. He asked whether the government plans to publish a draft of the census questions and seek input from the public or representatives, and if it is considering past experiences from caste surveys conducted in various states.
In response to the questions regarding the caste census, the central government stated that the upcoming census would take into account experiences from previous censuses and would seek suggestions from relevant stakeholders. Home Minister Nityanand Rai mentioned that the history of census-taking spans over 150 years, and each census is preceded by consultations with stakeholders.
