Govt gave headline but where is deadline: Cong on Centre's caste census move
New Delhi, May 1 (PTI): The Congress on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "master of giving a headline without a deadline" and called the government's caste census decision a "diversionary tactic" in the face of demands for taking strong action against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said many questions arise about the decision, especially on the intention of the government, and asked "where is the deadline" for conducting the census.
Taking a swipe at the prime minister at a debriefing at the party's 24, Akbar Road office here, Ramesh said he is the "master at giving a headline without a deadline".
Ramesh also said the BJP government agreeing to a caste census reflected their "moral and political defeat".
"Mr Modi and the RSS have been dead against a caste census from day 1. That is why yesterday Mr Rahul Gandhi said it was a sudden development," he said.
"The PM has taken his biggest U-turn, he took a U-turn on GST, Aadhaar, MGNREGA, food security act and now he has taken a U-turn on caste census. Now we know where Nitish Kumar caught this habit of making U-turns, there's is a 'jugalbandi' of U-turns. There is no parallel of the PM in taking U-turns," Ramesh said.
He said the biggest issue before the country is the Pahalgam attack.
"The biggest issue is how do we deal with terrorism and what response should be given to the mastermind of the terror attack. That is the only issue, all other things are important and their time will come but the main issue is... what response will you give to Pakistan, what justice will you give to the families of the victims," Ramesh said.
Ramesh noted that Prime Minister Modi had vowed to go after the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack.
"I was thinking that Mohan Bhagwat meeting him, the holding of the CCS and the CCPA are in the context of the Pahalgam attack. I was completely surprised by it (decision of caste census). I could never have imagined that they would do this and that is why I suspect that this is headline management and a diversionary tactic," he said.
Asserting that the barrier of a 50 per cent cap on reservations should be removed, Ramesh asked what is stopping the Modi government from doing this.
The Congress demands that there should be a Constitutional Amendment and the 50 per cent cap on reservations be removed, he said, adding that the caste census would be meaningful only when this is done.
He also urged the government to implement Article 15(5), which pertains to reservations in private educational institutions.
Ramesh cited a December, 2019 Cabinet meeting press release which stated that the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for conducting the census of India in 2021 at the cost of Rs 8,254 crore.
He pointed out that there was no mention of caste enumeration in that press release.
"Everyone knows that this census has not been done and six years have passed. Surprisingly, the announcement was made by the government yesterday," he said.
Ramesh, however, urged the government to keep a roadmap for the caste census before the country.
In the 2025-26 Budget, only Rs 575 crore has been allocated to the office of the census commissioner, he pointed out.
"So what kind of census are they planning to get done in Rs 575 crore? So what is the intention-- is it just about giving a headline? What is their intention? Many questions arise on the intention," the Congress leader said.
"You should have gotten the census done in 2021. They cite the Covid pandemic but more than 50 countries did their census during Covid. The pandemic was not there in 2023, 2024, but they did not get it done," Ramesh said.
He said when the PM was giving a string of interviews to TV channels last year, he had called those who talk of caste census "urban naxals".
"Since when did he become an urban naxal? Since when did Home Minister Amit Shah become an urban naxal?" Ramesh said.
The Congress leader recalled that in 2011, a socio-economic and caste census was conducted in rural and urban India with information collected from about 25 crore families.
"It is true that information about caste was not published in this survey, because many flaws were found in it. I was a minister myself and I worked hard with the state governments to find out how we could improve the shortcomings we found in each state. But later the elections came, the code of conduct came into force and we could not publish the information," Ramesh said.
He expressed happiness that the information about the social and economic conditions obtained through that survey is being used by the Modi government even today.
"But the information collected on caste during our time was being revised in 2013 and this work was not completed before the elections. Then suddenly the government stopped it and said that we will not do caste census. If the states want to do it, let them do it, but we will not do it," he said.
In the 7th Schedule of our Constitution, the responsibility of conducting the census lies with the central government, but when the governments of Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka did this work, then the government took this decision," Ramesh said.
His remarks come a day after the Centre announced that caste enumeration will be part of the next population census, with the inclusion of caste details for the first time since independence.
#WATCH | Delhi | On Centre's decision to conduct caste census, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, "Like Rahul Gandhi said yesterday, 'headline toh de diya, lekin deadline kaha hai? Our PM is an expert in giving headlines without deadlines... In 2025-26, the census commissioner's… pic.twitter.com/g5kYM4hOVK
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2025
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Punjab CM Mann meets President Murmu, seeks cancellation of membership of 6 RS members
Chandigarh (PTI): Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu, demanding the termination of the membership of six Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab who defected to the BJP and also pressed for the introduction of a constitutional provision allowing for the recall of members.
Accompanied by party MLAs and ministers, Mann visited Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.
This meeting followed a significant setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on April 24, when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs -- Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal -- quit and merged with the BJP, alleging that the party had strayed from its principles, values and core morals. Six of the seven MPs who left AAP hailed from Punjab.
After he met with the President, Mann addressed the media here, describing the departure of the seven MPs as a "murder" of the Constitution. He stated, "Seven MPs merging with another party is completely unconstitutional. I spoke to Rashtrapati ji in detail."
Mann pointed out that he told the President that the BJP holds only two MLA seats (in Punjab), yet now has six MPs in the Rajya Sabha. He questioned, "How can this be possible? Isn't it a mockery of the Constitution?
"If they are such revolutionaries at heart, then they should have resigned from their six seats. The AAP could have sent someone else," Mann said, taking a swipe at them.
He emphasised the need for a recall provision in the Constitution, referencing MP Raghav Chadha's previous demands for such a measure when members fail to meet public expectations.
"Have you lived up to the expectations of the people?" Mann challenged the MPs during his statement.
Mann also presented a letter to the President, signed by all AAP MLAs. He differentiated between the terms 'elected' and 'selected,' stating, "They were 'selected.' Therefore, their membership should be cancelled."
The President assured Mann that she would consult constitutional experts before responding.
Earlier in the day, Mann, along with party MLAs, departed for Delhi from Chandigarh.
Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh, Mann affirmed that all AAP MLAs stand united with the party. "Only I have been given time for the meeting," Mann said.
"The President is the guardian of the Constitution. She is the constitutional head of the country," he added.
Later in a post on X in Hindi, Mann said, "Our struggle to protect Punjab's rights and interests continues. Today, along with all AAP MLAs, I have left to discuss Punjab's burning issues and present the state's strong voice before the President.
As your public servant, our government remains fully committed to Punjab's prosperity and the safeguarding of the rights of every section of society."
The MLAs and ministers gathered at the chief minister's residence in the morning before heading to Delhi, carrying placards that read 'Punjab Mann De Naal' and 'Punjab's Traitors.'
The legislators left for Delhi in buses.
Mann had previously sought an appointment with the President to meet with party MLAs and demand the "recall" of the Rajya Sabha MPs who defected to the BJP. However, only Mann was given a time slot for the meeting.
