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In a major policy move, the central government has approved the inclusion of caste-based data in the upcoming national census. The decision was made during a Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to X (formerly Twitter) to welcome the development, describing it as a momentous step toward social justice and inclusivity.
“Today, in the meeting of the CCPA, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A very historic decision has been taken from the point of view of social justice, under which permission has been given to conduct a caste census in the next census,” he said.
आज प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi की अध्यक्षता में CCPA की बैठक में सामाजिक न्याय की दृष्टि से एक बड़ा ही ऐतिहासिक फ़ैसला लिया गया है जिसके अंतर्गत अगली जनगणना में जातिगत जनगणना को भी कराये जाने को मंज़ूरी दे दी गई है। समाज के सभी वर्गों, विशेषरूप जो शोषित और वंचित हैं, उनके…
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 30, 2025
Empowerment of Marginalised Communities
Singh went on to say that the move will benefit the marginalized and underserved sections of society.
“This decision will prove to be very important for the empowerment and development of all sections of society, especially those who are exploited and deprived. I express my gratitude to the Prime Minister for this decision taken in the public interest.”
The Centre’s decision has stirred a chorus of support from other key ministers as well. Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed Singh’s sentiments and highlighted the message of equality the government intends to send.
“The Modi government, committed to social justice, has taken a historic decision today. In the CCPA meeting held today under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, a message of strong commitment towards social equality and rights of every section has been given by deciding to include caste census in the upcoming census,” Shah stated in his post on X.
Political Reactions Across the Spectrum
The move also drew praise from Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, who criticized the Congress party’s previous stance on the issue.
“It’s a historical decision and we thank PM Modi for this courageous step. The Congress party was never serious about it. In 2010, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured it in the Lok Sabha that a subcommittee would be formed, which also recommended this approach.”
He added, “However, the Congress government opted for a survey of social and economic conditions instead of a caste census. Even that report was not made public and remains in their archives. Congress party, for a few days, was demanding a caste census just for political gain and for optics; they wanted to create a divide in the society.”
Cabinet’s Green Light and Constitutional Context
Leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have collectively backed the decision, calling it a necessary step for inclusive governance.
Following the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters that the government’s choice reflects its dedication to national unity and societal progress.
According to constitutional provisions, the Census is a Union subject, categorized under Item 69 in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
Caste enumeration has not been part of any census conducted in India since independence. The upcoming census will mark a significant departure from this long-standing practice.
(With Inputs From ANI)
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