Congress Champions Caste Census as Catalyst for New Development Paradigm

Rahul Gandhi endorses the government's decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census, urging the announcement of a timeline. He highlights Telangana's model for caste census as a national blueprint and stresses that it's just a first step towards a new development paradigm through inclusive data.

Posters of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi adorned the AICC headquarters in the national capital as the government announced the incorporation of a caste census in the upcoming population survey. On April 30, Gandhi expressed the party's support for this move, emphasizing the need for a specific timeline for its execution.

Rahul Gandhi, in a press conference, lauded Telangana's efforts in conducting a caste census, suggesting it as a model for national implementation. Despite welcoming the government's decision, he remarked on its suddenness after 11 years of inactivity, underscoring the Congress party's longstanding demand for such an enumeration process.

The Congress leader stressed the importance of this initial step towards reshaping the country's development framework. He raised central questions about the representation of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis, insisting that their roles in national development must be quantified and enhanced. Gandhi reiterated the commitment to reservations in private educational institutions, urging the government to implement existing laws under Article 15(5).

(With inputs from agencies.)