Congress chief Kharge writes to PM Modi demanding cast census
Apr 17, 2023
New Delhi [India], April 17 : Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the decennial Census that should have been conducted in 2021 be done immediately and a Caste Census be made it's an integral part.
In his letter to PM Modi, Kharge said, "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."
The Congress chief said the first time the United Progressive Alliance (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 2024," he said.
In the absence of an updated Caste Census, Kharge said 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, he said.
"I would also like to point out that the regular decennial Census was to be carried out in 2021 but it has not yet been conducted. We demand that it be done immediately and that a comprehensive Caste Census be made its integral part," added Kharge.
