Congress accuses Modi government of sabotaging caste census, calls PM 'U-turn ustad'

The Congress party on Tuesday accused the Narendra Modi government of attempting to sabotage the caste census, asking why the 2027 census does not include a drop-down menu for selecting castes, despite the Centre having recommended it in an affidavit to the Supreme Court in September 2021.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a "complete U-turn" on April 30, 2025, by announcing a caste census, only to now perform a "U-turn on his earlier U-turn". He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.

Mr. Ramesh highlighted that on September 21, 2021, the Modi government had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court categorically rejecting a plea for a caste census. However, he pointed to paragraph 12(d) of the affidavit, which stated: "There was no registry of caste prepared prior to the conduct of the 2011 Census. It would have been ideal for the Registry of Castes that there should have been given a drop-down menu for selection of the castes, which could have made some consistent data available which can be relied upon."

The Congress leader questioned why the 2027 census does not feature this drop-down menu, which the government itself had recommended in its affidavit. He also noted that such a menu had been prepared before caste surveys were conducted in Bihar and Telangana.

Mr. Ramesh further mentioned that this suggestion was also reflected in a letter from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to Prime Minister Modi on May 5, 2025.

"The conclusion is clear: the Modi Government wants to simply sabotage the caste census. The PM had made a complete U-turn on April 30, 2025 and announced that a caste census, which he had earlier attacked as an 'urban naxal' idea, would take place," Mr. Ramesh said. "Now he has done another U-turn on his earlier U-turn and, without saying so, has buried the idea of a caste census. He is a U-turn ustad," he added.

The caste census has been a politically sensitive issue in India. The Congress and several other opposition parties have demanded a nationwide caste census, arguing that it is necessary for accurate data on caste populations to inform social welfare policies. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has historically opposed the idea, though Prime Minister Modi's announcement in April 2025 appeared to signal a shift in position.

The government has not yet officially responded to the Congress's latest allegations. The 2027 census is expected to be a major exercise, and the methodology for collecting data on caste remains a matter of public debate.