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Kharge writes to Modi, suggesting 3 points regarding caste census
06 May 2025

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to follow the Telangana model for a national caste survey.

In his May 5 letter, Kharge also called for the removal of the 50% cap on reservations and immediate implementation of Article 15(5).

The article provides for reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in private educational institutions.

Kharge emphasizes the need for caste census
Caste census

Kharge also urged the PM to have a dialogue with all political parties on the matter of the caste census.

"Conducting any exercise such as the caste census, which gives the backward, the oppressed and marginalized sections of our society their rights cannot and should not be considered divisive in any way."

"Our great nation and....large-hearted people have always come together as one whenever needed, just as we have done after the recent cowardly terrorist attacks in Pahalgam," he said.

Congress President highlights India's unity and resilience
National unity

Kharge further wrote that the Congress believes that conducting a complete caste census is critical to ensuring social and economic justice, as well as equality of status and opportunity, as pledged in the Preamble.

The Congress president had earlier criticized the Union government, saying that it has no "genuine interest" in conducting a population census.

"However, due to growing public pressure, it has now announced that it will conduct a caste census along with the general census," said Kharge.

Kharge had written to PM in 2023 too
Social justice

Kharge said the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had traveled across the country demanding the caste census.

"On April 16, 2023, I myself wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to conduct a caste census. But at that time, PM Modi ignored our request. Now, just to claim credit, he has suddenly held a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday and announced a caste census," Kharge alleged.