Mon Nov 18 13:19:40 UTC 2024: ## Congress to Conduct Caste Census in States it Rules, Says Rahul Gandhi
**Ranchi, Jharkhand:** Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today admitted his party’s past failure to conduct a caste census during the UPA government’s tenure as a “mistake.” However, he pledged to rectify this, announcing that Congress-ruled states Telangana and Karnataka will soon undertake such surveys. A Congress-JMM victory in the ongoing Jharkhand assembly elections would also see a similar exercise implemented in that state, he added.
Speaking in Ranchi, Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, highlighted the current lack of data on Backward Classes as a hindrance to effective policymaking and equitable resource distribution. He emphasized that a comprehensive caste census is crucial for developing policies that ensure justice for all sections of society.
The Congress’s caste census initiative, currently underway in Telangana and Karnataka through public consultations and stakeholder meetings, involves a detailed questionnaire. Gandhi asserted that the party has a clear vision for this process, contrasting it with the BJP’s perceived lack of understanding or willingness to implement a similar nationwide survey.
Gandhi’s comments come amidst the Jharkhand assembly elections, where he promised increased quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes should the Grand Alliance win. This pledge, along with the Congress’s broader plan to remove the 50% reservation cap after conducting the caste census, has drawn criticism from the BJP, who accuse the Congress of playing divisive politics. Union Minister Amit Shah previously criticized Gandhi’s past statements on reservation policies.
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