The Congress on Tuesday accused the Centre of delaying the caste census, saying its intention appears to be to “buy time, grab headlines and manage the narrative”. The objective cannot just be to collect data on an individual’s caste but to understand the living conditions of these families and create policies to substantially improve their livelihoods, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said.
He also expressed doubts about the government’s intentions, pointing that the required funding for the census is Rs 10,000 crore whereas the government has allocated only Rs 574 crore.
“The demand for a caste census was led by the Congress party, particularly by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who has been raising this issue for several years,” Pilot said adding that the Narendra Modi government needs to explain many things, including “intentional delay” and allocation of “low budget” if it wants to execute a caste census with integrity like Telangana.
Pilot said Gandhi consistently pushed for a comprehensive caste census, raising the issue in Parliament and other forums. “Rahul Gandhi called it an ‘X-ray of the nation’ which was necessary to know the exact population of every caste, their geographic distribution, and the social, economic, and educational conditions they live in,” Pilot said.
Without credible caste data, policies aimed at uplifting marginalised communities remain half-baked, he said. “The Centre and states lack updated, specific data on caste groups. A caste census helps assess whether communities are benefiting from government schemes or not. It shows where we have succeeded and where we have failed,” he added.
But the BJP mocked the demand with PM Modi labelling those advocating for caste census as ‘urban Naxals’ in Parliament. “It was only after consistent public and political pressure that the government surprisingly accepted the demand but only on paper,” he added.
“What’s more telling is the budget. Conducting a national census usually costs Rs 8,000–10,000 crore but the government has allocated just Rs 570 crore, what message does that send?” he asked.
Pointed to Telangana where an expert-led caste survey, backed by NGOs and academics, produced credible data outside government channels, he said this is how it should be done, professionally, transparently, and with the intent to use the data for justice. He also dismissed claims that caste census would deepen casteism. “That argument is baseless. It’s a tool for equity, not division,” he said, adding that the BJP had similarly delayed women’s reservation before eventually conceding.
