'Will PM Modi Hijack Congress Guarantee To Conduct Caste Census?': Jairam Ramesh Questions After RSS's Remarks

A day after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) clarified that it does not object to caste census if the government needs the numbers for 'special attention' and welfare purposes, Congress launched fresh attacks.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh questioned, "Does the RSS have the veto power on caste census? Who is RSS to permit caste census?" in a post on X.

Congress has been demanding a caste census for a while. Ramesh had suggested earlier to include the caste-wise data of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the nationwide census set to commence soon.

However, after RSS asserted that the caste census should not be used as a political tool, Ramesh questioned, "What does RSS mean when it asks to not misuse caste census in election campaign?"

"Is it a judge or umpire?" the Congress leader lashed out at the RSS. He also questioned the RSS's 'mysterious silence' on removing the upper limit of 50 per cent in reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs.

Perceiving RSS's remarks as a 'green flag' for the caste census, Ramesh questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "Will non-biological PM hijack another guarantee of the Congress and conduct caste census?"

Notably, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other INDI Alliance parties were seen advocating for a nationwide caste census during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign.

Also, many of the BJP's ally parties, especially in Bihar, like Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) have been demanding a caste census.