Census notification: JDU welcomes move, Congress views it with skepticism

New Delhi: The Union Government on Monday issued a gazette notification, clearing the decks for long-awaited population census, which will begin in 2027.

It will be India’s 16th census and will include the first nationwide caste enumeration since 1931. The last census was held in 2011.

Janata Dal (United), a key ally of Bharatiya Janata Party welcomed the move, calling it “a historic moment” in the making.

Terming this gazette notification as a historical process, JDU national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said, “This is a tight slap to those who ran this country for over 60 years but never had the will to empower people through data. They buried the issue of caste census for political convenience.”

Drawing parallel with the Bihar’s landmark caste survey led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said that, “India will remember two key milestones in this journey — first, Bihar’s successful caste survey and the historic decisions that followed; and second, Prime Minister Modi’s decision to take this model to the national level.”

While nation awaits the Census, Opposition including the Congress party have made a long-standing demand for caste enumeration.

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat speaking to IANS said, “Better late than never, but I must add, this should not turn out to be just another slogan.”

“Along with the notification, the government must also allocate a proper budget for it, as no separate provision for these expenses has been made so far.. Secondly, I would say that Rahul Gandhi remains a visionary leader whose words are being followed by the people because he speaks for the public and the nation and what he says is proving to be true”, he added.

It is worthy to note here that this bold initiative comes at a time when the Modi government is leaving no stone unturned and is trying to expand its outreach among OBCs and other backward groups, especially in the run-up to slew of Assembly elections, slated for this and next year.

–IANS