Congress questions PM Modi on delaying Census

Says over 10 crore Indians being denied benefits under National Food Security Act because still 2011 Census enumeration is being used

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the “delay” in the Census and asserted that it is only through a caste count that full and meaningful social, economic and political justice can be ensured in education and employment.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in the midst of its political transition and economic turmoil, Sri Lanka has just announced that its latest Population and Housing Census — last done in 2012 — will begin on Monday.

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“What about India? The decennial Census was due in 2021. There is still no sign of it happening,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

राजकीय परिवर्तन आणि आर्थिक संकटांच्या मध्यात असलेल्या श्रीलंकेने नुकतेच जाहीर केले की आजपासून त्यांच्या लोकसंख्या आणि गृहनिर्माण जनगणनेला सुरुवात होणार आहे. त्यांची शेवटची जनगणना 2012 मध्ये झाली होती.

पण भारताचे काय? 2021 मध्ये दशवार्षिक जनगणना होणे आवश्यक होते. तरीसुद्धा…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 7, 2024

Over 10 crore Indians are being denied benefits under the National Food Security Act, 2013 or the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana because still the 2011 Census enumeration is being used, he said.

And what about integrating questions on caste in the census, as is being demanded by Congress and all other political parties, he asked.

“Detailed enumeration of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has been taking place every ten years since 1951. What is now needed is a similar detailed count of OBCs and other castes,” Ramesh said.

It is only through a caste census that full and meaningful social, economic, and political justice can be ensured in education and employment, the Congress general secretary asserted.

“Why is the non-biological PM continuing to delay the Census, that will also be a caste count?” Ramesh said.