Following the Centre’s announcement to incorporate a caste-based census in the upcoming national census, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that the Telangana model offers a more effective framework than the one adopted in Bihar.
Rahul Gandhi says Telangana a role model for conducting cast census
“Telangana has set a benchmark in conducting the caste census. It can serve as a blueprint for the nation,” Gandhi remarked.
Reaffirming the Congress party’s commitment to implementing the caste census, Gandhi reiterated that his party would not only ensure its execution but also advocate for the removal of the existing 50% cap on reservations.
Rahul Gandhi says govt should set a timeline for the census
Speaking on the broader issue of social equity, Gandhi noted that while the Congress supports the identification of four broad caste categories—as previously mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—he emphasized the need for the government to specify a clear timeline for the census.
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“We had made it clear in Parliament that we would conduct a caste census and eliminate the 50% reservation ceiling,” Gandhi said. “We support the government’s initiative and are willing to contribute to designing the framework using successful models like Telangana’s. However, the government must commit to a concrete timeline.”
He further stressed that India must go beyond the exercise of enumeration and adopt comprehensive measures to advance social justice.
Centre to incorporate Cast census in the next national census
Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced that the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs had decided to include caste-based data collection in the forthcoming census exercise. However, he did not specify a timeline for when the census would commence.
Vaishnaw also clarified that while the census is a function under the jurisdiction of the central government, certain states have previously undertaken caste-based data collection independently, referring to them as surveys rather than official censuses.
