Thu May 01 07:49:17 UTC 2025: ## Congress Slams Modi Government’s “Headline-Grabbing” Caste Census Announcement

**New Delhi, May 1, 2025** – The Congress party today sharply criticized the government’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of prioritizing headlines over concrete action. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, addressing a press conference, questioned the government’s intentions and demanded a swift implementation timeline.

Ramesh highlighted the discrepancy between the government’s recent announcement and the 2019 budget allocation for the census, which made no mention of caste enumeration. He pointed out that only ₹575 crore has been allocated for the 2025-26 census, a stark contrast to the ₹8,254 crore budgeted for the 2021 census. He further criticized the government’s delay, noting that many other countries conducted censuses during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period cited by the government as a reason for the delay.

Ramesh also called for the removal of the 50% reservation cap, arguing that a caste census would be meaningless without this constitutional amendment. He accused the Prime Minister of previously labeling those advocating for a caste census as “urban Naxals,” a claim he vehemently refuted.

While welcoming the decision, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressed concerns about the implementation, drawing parallels to the delayed Women’s Bill. He echoed the demand for a specific timeline for the caste census. The Congress party has been a vocal advocate for a nationwide caste census, highlighting its importance as a major election issue. Several states, including Bihar, Telangana, and Karnataka, have already conducted such surveys.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, announcing the decision, acknowledged that the census falls under the central government’s purview, citing concerns about the lack of transparency in some state-level surveys. The inclusion of caste details marks the first time this data will be collected since India’s independence.

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