Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, April 17: In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge requested a recent caste census.
In his letter, Mr Kharge stated that the lack of an updated caste census leaves an accurate database incomplete. Such a database is crucial for programmes of social justice and empowerment, especially for OBCs.
“I am writing to you to once again place on record the demand of the Indian National Congress for an up-to-date Caste Census. My colleagues and I have raised this demand earlier in both Houses of Parliament on a number of occasions as have leaders of many other Opposition parties,” Mallikarjun Kharge said in his letter.
2021 में नियमित दस वर्षीय जनगणना की जानी थी लेकिन यह नहीं हो पाई है।
हम मांग करते हैं कि इसे तत्काल किया जाए और व्यापक जाति जनगणना को इसका अभिन्न अंग बनाया जाए।
मुझे आशंका है कि जातिगत जनगणना के अभाव में सामाजिक न्याय के कार्यक्रमों के लिए डेटा अधूरा है।
PM को मेरा पत्र – pic.twitter.com/f8iX9miSKr
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 17, 2023
“You are aware that for the first time the UPA Government conducted a Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) during 2011-12 covering some 25 crore households. For a number of reasons, however, the caste data could not get published even though Congress and other MPs demanded its release after your government came to power in May 2014,” he said.
“In the absence of an updated Caste Census, I am afraid a reliable database so very essential for meaningful social justice and empowerment programmes, particularly for OBCs, is incomplete. This Census is the responsibility of the Union Government,” Mr Kharge said.
He additionally indicated in the letter dated April 16 that the regular decennial census was supposed to take place in 2021 but has not yet happened. “We demand that it be done immediately and that a comprehensive Caste Census be made its integral part,” Mr Kharge said.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, challenged Prime Minister Modi on Sunday to make the 2011 caste-based census data available to the public and requested that the 50% restriction on quota be lifted while speaking to a crowd in Kolar, Karnataka.
“UPA in 2011 did the caste-based census. It has the data of all the castes. Mr Prime Minister, you talk of OBCs. Make that data public. Let the nation know how many OBCs, Dalits and tribals are there in the country,” in the lead-up to the May 10 Karnataka elections, Mr Gandhi made the statement at the Congress’ “Jai Bharat” election rally in Kolar.
