The Congress-led Karnataka government has claimed that the Union government’s recent decision to conduct a caste census stems from consistent pressure exerted by Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The party expressed strong support for the move and urged the Centre to expand the scope of the exercise.
Speaking to the press in Bengaluru on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President D K Shivakumar stated that the Centre’s announcement was a direct outcome of Rahul Gandhi’s persistent calls for a nationwide caste enumeration.
“Rahul Gandhi has continuously maintained that the responsibility to carry out a caste census lies with the Centre. Their decision reflects that urgency,” said Shivakumar. He added that Gandhi has also stressed the importance of setting a deadline for completing the census and emphasized that fair distribution of resources depends on accurate demographic data. He reiterated that this aligns with the Congress party’s core philosophy, and the Karnataka government would fully support the Centre’s efforts.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a statement issued on Wednesday, welcomed the Centre’s announcement but urged the inclusion of a social, economic, and educational survey along with the caste count. He highlighted that Karnataka had already completed such an integrated survey and used it to review and expand reservation policies.
The Congress has long argued that equitable welfare policies and reservations should rely on current, data-driven insights. The state’s own caste survey from Siddaramaiah’s earlier term has often been cited in this context.
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