Caste census a 'deception', not comprehensive: Jairam Ramesh

Congress's Jairam Ramesh accused the Centre of 'deception' over the caste census, citing a single caste question. He demanded the process be scrapped and conducted like the comprehensive surveys in Bihar and Telangana, after consulting all parties.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday accused the Centre of failing to consult political parties and state governments on the methodology for the caste census, calling the proposed exercise a "deception" and alleging that it would not amount to a comprehensive caste census as it includes only a single caste-related question among 40 questions according to the notification issued on August 14. He demanded that the process be scrapped and conducted on the lines of the caste surveys carried out in Bihar and Telangana.

Addressing a Congress party briefing at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in New Delhi, Ramesh said the party had been raising the issue for the last three years and that Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a proper caste census, but received no response. Ramesh said, "On August 20, Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter. Both letters are related to the caste census. This is the third letter from the Congress party. The first and second letters were written by Kharge ji to the Prime Minister. Unfortunately, there has been no response to these letters. This is the third letter, signed by both Rahul Gandhi and Kharge ji. The party has been raising the issue of a caste census for the last three years. This issue is connected to the future of India. The Congress party demanded a caste census in 2023-24."

Modi's 'Urban Naxal' Jibe Recalled

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramesh said, "On April 28, 2024, the 'non-biological Prime Minister' described the demand as an 'urban Naxal' mindset in an interview. On April 30, 2025, the government announced that a caste census would be conducted in 2027. The same Prime Minister who had called those demanding it 'urban Naxals' later had the government make the announcement."

'Not a Caste Census, But a Deception'

Ramesh said Kharge wrote another letter four days after the announcement and that the Congress has since been demanding consultations with political parties and state governments on how the exercise should be conducted. He said, "Four days later, Kharge ji wrote a letter. Since then, the demand has continued: consult all political parties, consult state governments and discuss how the caste census can be conducted properly. There has been silence from the government so far. No one has held discussions, neither with any state government nor with any political parties. On August 14, 2026, a notification was issued stating that 40 questions would be asked and that the 10th question would be related to caste. The information collected through this will constitute the caste census."

Criticising the proposed methodology, Ramesh alleged, "The Modi government has no intention of conducting the caste census honestly and properly. They are themselves turning it into a meaningless exercise. The questions being asked are completely against the recommendations made by Kharge ji. This is not a caste census; it is a deception, a betrayal of trust and an attempt to put the issue on the back burner."

Congress Demands Bihar, Telangana Model

Ramesh cited the caste surveys conducted in Bihar and Telangana as models for the national exercise. He said, "On October 2, 2023, when Nitish Kumar was the Chief Minister as part of the alliance, the results of the caste survey in Bihar were published. On February 4, 2025, the results of the survey in Telangana were published. The survey should be conducted across the country on the same lines as Bihar and Telangana. There is still time for the Prime Minister to correct the process, as it has only begun in some places."

Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi and Kharge were demanding changes to the proposed process, saying, "Kharge ji and Rahul ji are demanding that the current process be cancelled and that the exercise be started on the lines of the Bihar and Telangana systems. Improvements can still be made in the next two to three months. The government should not ignore our letter and should conduct a proper census."

'Prepare Caste List First'

On the need for a caste list before conducting the exercise, Ramesh said, "I do not know whether the Prime Minister is aware of this or not. This is not our demand. There is an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on September 21, 2021. I do not know whether the Home Ministry is aware of it. The affidavit says that if a caste census is to be conducted, a list of castes must first be prepared."

He said, "Bihar prepared a list of castes in 2015. Telangana also prepared a list mentioning the various castes. There are around 4,200 castes in our country, and every state has its own list. Reservations are provided on the basis of these lists."

He urged the Centre to reconsider its approach, saying, "If you are honest and your intentions are clear, Rahul ji and Kharge ji hope that you will take cognisance of their letter. However, communication between number one and two has been decreasing. The Bihar and Telangana models should be implemented at the national level. On April 30 last year, the Centre announced to go ahead with caste enumeration in the 2027 population census. The Centre has stated that a comprehensive caste enumeration will be done during the Population Enumeration phase. Until the 2011 Census, the exercise included the systematic enumeration of only Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STS). (ANI)

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