Now Reading: Congress demands 2027 caste census, PM Modi faces pressure
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Congress demands 2027 caste census, PM Modi faces pressure
The Congress party has demanded a nationwide caste census in 2027, modelled on the Bihar government's recent survey, putting pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to change the Union government's current plan.…
The Congress party has demanded a nationwide caste census in 2027, modelled on the Bihar government's recent survey, putting pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to change the Union government's current plan. The Bihar caste census, conducted in 2023, revealed that Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes together make up 63% of the state's population.
Congress leaders argue that only a fresh caste count can provide accurate data for reservation policies and welfare schemes. They have urged the Prime Minister to adopt the Bihar model for the upcoming national census. The demand has reignited the political debate over caste-based enumeration, with opposition parties pushing for a comprehensive survey to inform affirmative action.
The Union government has not yet announced the final methodology for Census 2027. The next step will be the government's official response to the demand, expected when the Census bill or related notification is tabled in Parliament.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Bihar caste census, which the state government released in October 2023, was the first such exercise since 1931. It put OBCs at 27% and EBCs at 36% of Bihar's population, challenging the long-held estimate of 52% for the combined OBC share nationally. The demand for a national caste census has split political parties: while the BJP has opposed it, allies such as the JD(U) and LJP have backed it. The Registrar General of India, which conducts the Census, last took a caste count in 1931, since then only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been enumerated. The 2021 Census was postponed due to the pandemic and is now underway, with caste data expected to be a flashpoint when the government finalises the questionnaire.
Source: odishatv.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
