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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has backed the Union Cabinet’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census, calling it a major stride toward ensuring inclusive governance.
In a post shared on X, he stated, “The decision of CCPA under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji to include caste census in the upcoming census in the overall interest of 140 crore countrymen is unprecedented and welcome.”
140 करोड़ देशवासियों के समग्र हित में आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के नेतृत्व में CCPA द्वारा जाति जनगणना को आगामी जनगणना में शामिल किए जाने का निर्णय अभूतपूर्व एवं स्वागत योग्य है।
वंचित, पिछड़े और उपेक्षित वर्गों को सही पहचान और सरकारी योजनाओं में उनकी उचित…
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 30, 2025
Empowering the Marginalized Through Data
According to the UP Chief Minister, this move marks a significant shift in recognizing and supporting historically disadvantaged communities.
He described the initiative as “decisive” in ensuring fair participation and proper recognition for the deprived, backward, and neglected sections of society.
“Heartfelt gratitude to the respected Prime Minister, under whose leadership the BJP government has taken this historic decision to transform social justice and data-based good governance into reality,” he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also expressed strong approval of the Cabinet’s move.
He described it as a “revolutionary step towards ensuring social equality, respect and justice.”
Congress Criticized for Past Inaction
Dhami took a sharp dig at the Congress, accusing it of consistently blocking caste-based census efforts for political gain.
“Congress opposed caste census for decades and always tried to shine its politics on this issue. The biggest example of this is that a caste census was never conducted to date after independence. Congress used them only as a vote bank by promoting division among castes,” he said on X.
कांग्रेस ने दशकों तक जातिगत जनगणना का विरोध किया और इस मुद्दे पर हमेशा अपनी राजनीति चमकाने का प्रयास किया। इसका सबसे बड़ा उदाहरण यह है कि स्वतंत्रता के बाद आज तक जातिगत जनगणना कभी नहीं करवाई गई। कांग्रेस ने जातियों के बीच विभाजन को बढ़ावा देकर उन्हें सिर्फ वोटबैंक के रूप में…
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) April 30, 2025
He noted that the current decision by the Centre will help integrate backward communities more effectively into the national mainstream.
“Today, under the leadership of the respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, the Central Government has taken a historic decision, in which caste census will be included in the census process. This decision is not only an important step towards bringing the backward classes of the society into the mainstream but it is also a revolutionary step towards ensuring social equality, respect and justice,” he added.
Centre Affirms Constitutional Mandate
The official announcement came on Wednesday as the Union Cabinet gave its nod to include caste enumeration in the next national census.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the development, noting that although some states had already conducted caste surveys, the authority to hold a full census lies with the central government.
He pointed out that previous governments, particularly those led by Congress, refrained from including caste data in national counts.
“Caste was not included in all the census operations conducted since independence. In 2010, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singhji had assured the Lok Sabha that the matter of caste census would be considered in the cabinet. A group of ministers was formed to consider this subject. Most political parties recommended a caste census. Despite this, the Congress government decided to conduct only a survey of caste instead of a census. That survey is known as SECC,” Vaishnaw said.
The move is now being framed by BJP leaders as a long-overdue correction aimed at fostering more equitable development based on reliable data.
(With Inputs From ANI)
ALSO READ: Caste Census Gets Congress Nod: Mallikarjun Kharge Says It’s a Long-Standing Demand
