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The Congress leader said that Telangana’s caste census model can become a blueprint for India’s census.
Rahul Gandhi addressing a press conference in New Delhi. (Photo: Congress YouTube)
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday welcomed the Centre’s move to include caste data in the Census but demanded a clear timeline of its implementation.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, the Congress leader said that his party is also committed to removing the 50 per cent cap, an artificial barrier on reservations.
He said his party wants the nation to know about the participation of OBCs in institutions and power structure.
“We had said in the Parliament that we will make Caste Census happen. We had also said that we would scrap the 50% cap, the artificial wall that is in place. Narendra Modi used to say that there are just 4 castes. Don’t know what happened but suddenly after 11 years, Caste Census has been announced. We completely support it but we want a timeline. We want to know that by when this will happen,” he said.
कहा था ना, मोदी जी को ‘जाति जनगणना’ करवानी ही पड़ेगी, हम करवाकर रहेंगे!यह हमारा विज़न है और हम यह सुनिश्चित करेंगे कि सरकार एक पारदर्शी और प्रभावी जाति जनगणना कराए। सबको साफ़-साफ़ पता चले कि देश की संस्थाओं और power structure में किसकी कितनी भागीदारी है।
जाति जनगणना विकास का…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 30, 2025
“This (caste census) is the first step. Telangana has become a model in Caste Census and it can become a blueprint. We offer our support to the Govt in designing the Caste Census…There are two examples – Bihar’s and Telangana’s and there is a vast difference between the two,” he said.
When asked to comment on whether the decision was taken by the BJP-led goverment in the view of Bihar assembly polls, Gandhi said, “I don’t think so.”
Gandhi said the budget allocation should be made for caste census and date be announced. “We want people’s census not bureaucrats’ census,” he added.
