• By Nidhi Giri
  • Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:54 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

The Opposition, including several INDIA allies have claimed credit for Prime Minister Modi-led Union Cabinet’s decision to include the data on castes in the next population census in the country. With Bihar assembly election approaching, the decision drew reactions from various political parties. Congress welcomed the move, saying a caste survey has been a key demand of the party for long. 

"What we socialists think 30 years ago -- like reservation, caste census, equality, fraternity, secularism etc., others follow decades later," Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Lalu Yadav said, as quoted by an NDTV report. "On demanding caste census, those who called us 'casteists' got a befitting reply. There is still a lot left. We will keep these Sanghis dancing to our agenda," he added.

"It is a big win for us. Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposed caste census but the Centre is now working on our agenda," said former Bihar CM & RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, as quoted by the report.

"We welcome this decision as it was our longstanding demand. Bihar elections should be the only motive behind this,” said Congress's Vijay Wadettiwar.

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Better Late Than Never: Congress On Government's Decision

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari stated that the census had always been a demand of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

"This is Congress' demand. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi have always demanded this. Let's see in how many days they (referring to central government) do it. They say something and do something else,” said MP Pramod Tiwari, as per ANI.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called it a "100 per cent victory" for PDA - "Pichre" (backward), Dalit and "Alpashankhak" (minority).

"Due to the collective pressure of all of us, the BJP government has been forced to take this decision. This is a very important phase of PDA's victory in the fight for social justice," Akhilesh Yadav’s post on X read.

"One thing is certain in Bihar that people want change. Be it the supporters of RJD, BJP, JDU, any party or any caste, religion, people want change because they have seen the leaders of all parties in the last 30-35 years. There has been no improvement in the basic problems of Bihar like education, employment and migration. They are seeing the progress happening in other states and feel cheated,” said Jan Suraaj party Founder Prashant Kishor, as per the news agency.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday lauded Centre’s move, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for it.

“The Central Government's decision to conduct a caste census is commendable. Our demand for conducting a caste census is an old one. It is a matter of great joy that the Central Government has decided to conduct a caste census. Conducting a caste census will help determine the population of different sections, which will facilitate the formulation of plans for their upliftment and development. This will accelerate the country's development. Congratulations and thanks to the Honorable Prime Minister, Respected Shri Narendra Modi ji, for the decision to conduct a caste census,” Bihar CM Nitish Kumar posted on X.

"I thank and congratulate Narendra Modi ji who has decided to include caste census in national census,” said Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary.

Caste Census Gets Cabinet Nod

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, while briefing the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, said, "Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided today that Caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming census."

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, while briefing the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, slammed the states where caste censuses have been conducted in the recent past and said that census comes under the purview of the Centre, but some states have done caste enumeration in the name of surveys.