Congress leader accuses NDA government of obstructing caste Census to deny OBC, EBC representation

Senior Congress leader Manikrao Thakare on Saturday claimed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre is deliberately obstructing the nationwide caste Census to prevent the “true representation” of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC). Speaking at a press conference at the Bihar Congress headquarters in Patna, Thakare alleged that the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has hatched a conspiracy to deny backward classes their due share in governance and welfare.

Thakare, who is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Goa, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, said that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have repeatedly raised the issue in Parliament. He claimed that the Union government has consistently opposed the caste Census, and cited examples from Bihar and Telangana to highlight what he called the government’s apathy.

“When the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government was in power in Bihar, Rahul Gandhi pressured the State government to ensure representation for backward classes based on their population numbers. This led to a caste survey in the State. The Congress government in Telangana also conducted a caste survey effectively, which the Union government could use as a precedent,” Thakare said.

Thakare asserted that the then Grand Alliance government in Bihar attempted to raise the reservation limit to 65%, but the matter ended up in court due to the alleged apathy of the Union Government. “The BJP-led government could have included this in the Ninth Schedule, which lists laws that cannot be challenged in courts,” he said. He added that once the NDA government was formed in Bihar, the recommendations of the caste survey were put on the back burner, denying backward classes the rights for which Rahul Gandhi had fought.

The Congress leader also alleged discrepancies in the Census questionnaire, which he said raised doubts about the government’s intentions. A proper caste Census, he argued, would provide accurate data on the social, economic, and educational status of each caste. This, in turn, would enable the government to formulate effective and targeted development schemes for the needy, create appropriate policies, and allocate budgets for the upliftment of backward and marginalised sections.

Thakare demanded a new questionnaire developed in consultation with political parties and experts, adopting the models used in Bihar and Telangana. He reiterated the Congress party’s commitment to ensuring a nationwide caste Census and to breaking the 50% cap on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court. “We are determined to ensure a caste Census is conducted, and we will also break the 50% cap on reservations,” he said.

The demand for a caste Census has been a long-standing political issue. The last full caste enumeration was conducted in 1931, and the Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011 was not fully published. While supporters of the caste Census argue that accurate data is essential for social justice and targeted policies, opponents maintain that collecting caste data could exacerbate social divisions. The Narendra Modi government has consistently rejected demands for a comprehensive caste Census, stating that such an exercise is not feasible and that the government is committed to the welfare of all sections without favour.

Thakare also questioned whether the Union Government was attempting to delay or complicate the caste Census by unnecessarily stirring up controversy. He stressed that only a caste Census can reveal the extent of participation of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in the country’s development. No immediate response was available from the Union government or the Bharatiya Janata Party to Thakare’s allegations.