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The BJP said on September 18, 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said any decision on conducting a caste census will be “made public” when the census is announced
The BJP said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier indicated that the announcement was forthcoming. (Image: PTI/File)
The BJP hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of “taking credit” for the Centre’s decision to carry out caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise.
In doing so, the BJP revived Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks from 2024 when he said any decision on conducting a caste census will be “made public” when the census is announced.
The BJP’s IT cell head, Amit Malviya, slammed Rahul Gandhi saying he must stop taking credit for the government’s decision as Amit Shah had already indicated on September 18, 2024, that the announcement was forthcoming.
“Rahul Gandhi must stop taking credit for the government’s decision on the caste census. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already indicated on September 18, 2024, that the announcement was forthcoming. In 2011, the Congress-led UPA government initiated the Socio-Economic and Caste Census, which included a caste component — the first such attempt since 1931,” he said in a post on X.
Rahul Gandhi must stop taking credit for the government’s decision on the caste census. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already indicated on September 18, 2024, that the announcement was forthcoming.In 2011, the Congress-led UPA government initiated the Socio-Economic and… pic.twitter.com/CaQhAoDnzo
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 30, 2025
Malviya, however, alleged that the Congress failed to release the caste data citing inconsistencies and classification issues. “It is the BJP and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who truly uphold the mantle of social justice, and this move is a step in the right direction,” he wrote.
According to a report published by The Indian Express, the Union home minister had not ruled out the possibility of a caste census, when asked if the government would conduct one as it was a key demand of the Opposition. “When the Census is announced, all these things will be made public,” he had been quoted, while speaking at a press conference marking 100 days of the third term of the NDA government.
On Wednesday, welcoming the “historic decision”, Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government has shown its strong commitment towards social equality and the rights of every section.
“In the CCPA meeting held today under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, a message of strong commitment towards social equality and rights of every section has been given by deciding to include caste census in the upcoming census,” he wrote on X in Hindi.
सामाजिक न्याय के लिए संकल्पित मोदी सरकार ने आज एक ऐतिहासिक निर्णय लिया है।प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के नेतृत्व में आज हुई CCPA की बैठक में, आगामी जनगणना में जातिगत गणना को शामिल करने का निर्णय लेकर सामाजिक समानता और हर वर्ग के अधिकारों के प्रति मजबूत प्रतिबद्धता का…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 30, 2025
He said the Congress and its allies opposed the caste census for decades while in power and played politics over it while in the opposition. “This decision will empower all economically and socially backward classes, promote inclusion, and pave new paths for the progress of the deprived,” he said.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, have been demanding a nationwide caste census making it a major election issue, while states like Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka have also conducted such surveys.
The census exercise was to commence in April 2020 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Congress and the opposition INDIA bloc had made caste census a major poll plank in the previous elections, with Rahul Gandhi promising representation to people based on their population.
(With PTI inputs)