Will PM Modi 'hijack' another Congress guarantee and conduct caste census: Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh. File Pic

A day after the RSS' comments on caste census, the Congress on Tuesday wondered whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would "hijack" another of Congress guarantee and conduct the caste census now with the Sangh having "given the green signal".

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Monday said it has no objection to collecting data on specific communities or castes, provided that the information is used for their welfare and not exploited as a political tool for electoral gains.

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Reacting to the remarks, Congress' general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said RSS's preaching on caste census raises some basic questions such as - does it have a veto power over caste census.

"Who is the RSS to give permission for caste census? What does the RSS mean when it says caste census should not be misused for electioneering? Is it to be a judge or umpire?" Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.

Why has RSS maintained a "mysterious silence" on the need for a constitutional amendment to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation for Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs, the Congress leader further asked.

"Now that the RSS has given the green signal, will the non-biological Prime Minister hijack another Congress guarantee and conduct a caste census?" Ramesh said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said on Monday night that the RSS should clearly tell the country whether it is in favour or against caste census.

"Is the Sangh Parivar, which is in favour of Manusmriti instead of the Constitution of the country, worried about the participation of Dalits, tribals, backward classes and poor-deprived society or not?" Kharge had said in a post in Hindi on X.

Addressing the media on Monday in Kerala's Palakkad after a three-day coordination conclave called Samanway Baithak, Sunil Ambekar, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, said caste and caste-relations were a "very sensitive issue" for the Hindu society and it is an important issue "for our national unity and integrity".

He was responding to a query on caste census.

So, it should be dealt with "very seriously" and not just on the basis of elections or politics.

"So, as RSS thinks, yes, definitely for all welfare activities, addressing the particular community or caste which is lagging behind and so special attention is needed to some communities and caste. So, for that the government needs the numbers. It is very well practised....Earlier also it has taken. So, it can take it. No problem."

"But it should be only to address the welfare of those communities and caste. It should not be used as a political tool for electioneering. And so we put a caution line for everyone," Ambekar said.

Ambekar's statement came amidst campaigning by the opposition parties-- the Congress, Samajwadi Party and other INDIA bloc allies, seeking to hold a caste census for effective policy making.