PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The Bharatiya Janata Party said claimed that the caste census will lead to more effective economic and welfare policies, helping build a more inclusive and great India. Addressing a Press conference at the party headquarters on Sunday, BJP State president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt welcomed the decision of the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct the caste-based census, calling it a historic step towards evidence-based policymaking.
Bhatt said this initiative reflects the government’s commitment to transparency and will strengthen the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas”. He said that the last caste census was conducted in 1931 under British rule, when present day Pakistan and Bangladesh were still a part of undivided India. Since then, except for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, there has been no official national caste enumeration.
Bhatt emphasised that reviving caste enumeration after 94 years will bring clarity to the social and economic realities of Indian society, allowing for better-targeted welfare programmes. He also criticised the Congress party for what he described as its double standards on the issue. While Congress supported caste census when in opposition, Bhatt claimed the party never acted on it while in power. He pointed to the Congress government’s failure to prepare for a caste-based count in the 2011 census, despite forming a ministerial group in 2010. He also mentioned that the Congress-led government in Telangana conducted a caste survey but did not release its findings even after three years.
Bhatt said that the BJP’s approach is based on unity, welfare and social harmony. He said the party believes that accurate data is essential to ensure all sections of society benefit from welfare schemes. He cited the Modi government’s implementation of 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections as proof of its commitment to social justice.
The OBC Morcha State president Rakesh Giri also praised the decision, stating that it would empower marginalised communities and strengthen the country’s socio-economic foundation. He urged all political parties to support the move in the spirit of nation-building, setting aside narrow political interests.
