BJP Claims Congress Misled on Caste Census, Modi Government to Conduct It First Time

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Congress of deceiving the public about caste enumeration. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra stated that the Modi government is the first to initiate a caste census in Independent India. He criticised Congress for not conducting such a census during its long tenure in power.

Patra emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's actions are focused on policy changes that aim to bring social justice and improve people's lives. He claimed that while Congress leaders, since Jawaharlal Nehru, have talked about poverty alleviation, it was Modi who made significant strides in reducing poverty.

Congress's Response and Demands

In response, Congress has demanded a clear timeline for the caste enumeration process. They also reiterated their call to remove the 50 per cent reservation cap for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The party credited Rahul Gandhi's campaign for influencing the government's decision on caste enumeration.

Patra highlighted that over 17 crore people have risen out of poverty under Modi's leadership, as acknowledged by the World Bank. He contrasted this with Congress's history of making promises without taking concrete action. According to him, the BJP-led government is committed to making policies for the upliftment of various castes.

BJP's Stand on Caste Census

The BJP asserts that it is not enough to merely speak about caste welfare; decisive actions are necessary. Patra pointed out that while Congress often spoke about caste issues, it never took steps to conduct a caste census. The BJP believes that such a census is crucial for formulating effective policies for different communities.

The Modi government recently announced that caste enumeration will be part of the upcoming census. This decision aims to ensure transparency and address social inequalities more effectively. The BJP views this move as a significant step towards achieving social justice through informed policy-making.

The ongoing debate between BJP and Congress highlights differing approaches to addressing caste-related issues in India. While Congress seeks immediate action and policy changes, BJP focuses on implementing structured processes like the caste census to inform future policies.

With inputs from PTI