“We Said Modi Ji Will Have to Do It”: Congress, BJP Spar Over Credit for Caste Census Decision

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New Delhi: A fresh political showdown has erupted between the Congress and the BJP over who deserves credit for the Centre’s decision to include caste data in the upcoming national Census. Just a day after the announcement, the Congress has moved quickly to claim victory for what it calls a hard-fought campaign to bring caste realities into the national spotlight.

Outside the Congress headquarters in Delhi, a large poster featuring Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been put up by Indian Youth Congress president Srinivas BV. The poster proclaims Gandhi’s long-standing demand for a caste Census and credits him with compelling the Modi government to act.

“We said Modi ji would have to get a caste Census done. We will get it done. The world bows down, you need someone to make it bow down,” reads the bold Hindi message on the poster, echoing Rahul Gandhi’s words.

The Congress argues that its unrelenting demand for a nationwide caste Census—framed as a tool for ensuring social justice and inclusive policy-making—has finally borne fruit. Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, reaffirmed:

“We said Modi ji would have to get a caste Census done. We will get it done. This is our vision, and we will ensure the government conducts a transparent and effective caste Census. Everyone must know which communities have what share in the country’s institutions and power.”

However, the ruling BJP swiftly responded, accusing the Congress of hypocrisy. Senior BJP leaders reminded the public that the Congress had, for decades, avoided implementing a caste Census and is now using the issue for political mileage.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while announcing the cabinet decision, emphasized that caste enumeration within the regular national Census—rather than through state-level or independent surveys—would preserve social harmony and strengthen the country’s socio-economic framework.

“This will ensure transparency and data integrity while helping design better policies for all communities,” Vaishnaw said.

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