Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday has once again demanded that the Narendra Modi government make public the data from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) conducted in 2011. The Congress leader pointed out that only 7% of the Secretaries in the Government of India are from Dalit, Tribal or Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Rahul Gandhi questioned if the population of these classes is only 7% in India and argued that finding out the population of each caste is necessary for ensuring participation for everyone in the country.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Only 7% of the Secretaries in the Government of India are Dalit, Tribal or OBC. Is the population of these classes just 7% in India? If we have to give participation to everyone in the country, then we have to find out the population of which caste. Why is the prime minister not making the caste census data public?”
This is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi has raised this demand. During his recent visit to Karnataka, he also demanded the removal of the 50% cap on reservations and the allocation of reservations to Dalits and Tribals based on population. This came after BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of insulting the entire OBC community when he made comments that allegedly insulted the Modi surname.
Rahul Gandhi’s latest demand is part of his efforts to make the caste census an electoral issue in the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections as well as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
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It’s important to know that the Congress-led UPA government conducted the SECC in 2011, and while reports from the census have been published, the caste data has not been made public.
The SECC data is crucial for identifying and addressing the socio-economic challenges faced by marginalized communities in India. The data would also provide insights into the representation of different castes in various government institutions and services. Rahul Gandhi’s demand for making the caste census data public is significant as it can help address the deep-rooted caste inequalities prevalent in Indian society.