GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th Oct. The Congress on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the delay in conducting the Census and stressed that a caste-based count is essential for achieving comprehensive social, economic, and political justice in areas like education and employment.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, highlighted that Sri Lanka, despite facing political and economic challenges, has initiated its latest Population and Housing Census, last conducted in 2012. He drew a comparison with India, where the decennial Census, originally due in 2021, is yet to be conducted.
In a post on the social media platform X, Ramesh stated, “What about India? The decennial Census was due in 2021. There is still no sign of it happening.”
Ramesh emphasized that the delay in updating the Census is affecting over 10 crore Indians, who are missing out on benefits under the National Food Security Act, 2013, and the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, as the 2011 Census data is still being used for distribution.
He also raised the issue of integrating caste data in the Census, which has been a long-standing demand from the Congress and other political parties. “Detailed enumeration of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has been taking place every ten years since 1951. What is now needed is a similar detailed count of OBCs and other castes,” Ramesh argued.
The Congress leader insisted that a caste-based Census is crucial for ensuring “full and meaningful social, economic, and political justice.” He questioned, “Why is the non-biological PM continuing to delay the Census, that will also be a caste count?”
The Congress has been vocal about its demand for a caste census, viewing it as a means to address disparities and ensure targeted social welfare programs. The delay in conducting the Census has become a point of contention, with opposition parties urging the government to take prompt action.
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