NewKerala.com

Key Points

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to PM Modi demanding action on the long-pending caste census. He accused the BJP of hypocrisy after initially opposing the census but now acknowledging its importance. Kharge proposed adopting Telangana's model for framing census questions and removing the 50% reservation cap. The letter also pushes for implementing constitutional provisions to extend quotas in private educational institutions.

Key Points: Kharge Urges Modi to Adopt Telangana Model for Caste Census

  • Kharge criticizes Modi for ignoring 2023 caste census letter
  • Recommends Telangana model for census questionnaire design
  • Demands removal of 50% reservation cap
  • Calls for implementing Article 15(5) for OBCs in private education
2 min read

Mallikarjun Kharge writes to PM Modi, suggests to adopt Telangana model among key measures on caste census

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge writes to PM Modi, pushing for caste census reforms including Telangana's survey model and reservation cap removal.

"Today, you yourself are admitting that this demand is in the interest of profound social justice and empowerment. – Mallikarjun Kharge"

New Delhi, May 6

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating the party's long-standing demand for a caste census and laying out three specific suggestions to be considered in the process.

In his letter, Kharge criticized the government for not responding to his earlier communication in April 2023 and accused the BJP leadership of attacking the Congress for raising what he called a legitimate and necessary demand.

"I wrote to you on 16 April 2023 and placed before you the demand of the Indian National Congress to conduct a caste census. Unfortunately, I did not receive any reply to that letter. Thereafter, your party leaders and you yourself continuously attacked the Congress Party and the Congress leadership for raising this legitimate demand. Today, you yourself are admitting that this demand is in the interest of profound social justice and empowerment," Kharge stated in the letter.

Outlining his proposals, Kharge stressed that the design of the census questionnaire is crucial and recommended that the Ministry of Home Affairs adopt the Telangana model for framing questions to be used in the caste census.

Secondly, Kharge urged the government to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) through a constitutional amendment, citing the anticipated outcomes of the caste census that may necessitate expanded quotas.

Thirdly, he called for the implementation of Article 15(5) of the Constitution, which was introduced on January 20, 2006, to provide reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs in private educational institutions.

Earlier, Congress party passed a resolution demanding the immediate implementation of clause 5 of Article 15 of the Indian Constitution to enable reservations for Other Backwards Classes (OBCS), Dalits, and Adivasis in private educational institutions. The resolution also said that updated caste data must be used to strengthen reservation policies.

Ahead of this, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
Finally some movement on caste census! Data is crucial for proper policy making. But why copy Telangana model when we can create our own robust system? Let's not make this political - all parties should work together for accurate data collection. 🇮🇳
P
Priya M.
Reservation in private institutions is long overdue! But implementation will be tricky. Companies will find loopholes. Need strong monitoring mechanism. Also, 50% cap removal needs careful thought - merit shouldn't become casualty in this process.
A
Arun S.
Why is Kharge ji writing letters now when Congress had 10 years to do this? Political drama before elections. But yes, caste census is important - we need current data, not 1931 numbers! Just wish all parties were more sincere about development than votebank.
S
Sunita R.
As a teacher, I've seen how reservations help bridge gaps. But we must ensure benefits reach truly needy families. Many well-off people misuse caste certificates while poor remain deprived. Census should track economic status too! 👍
V
Vikram J.
Instead of fighting over methodology, just conduct the census properly! We're in 21st century with Aadhaar, GST data - can't we have accurate caste statistics? This delay affects planning for education, jobs, healthcare. Enough politics, just do it!
N
Neha T.
Caste census is needed but reservations in private sector? That might scare investors. Maybe start with incentives for companies that voluntarily implement diversity hiring instead of forcing quotas. Need balanced approach for India's growth. 🤔

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50