Rajasthan Caste Census: BJP Says 'Distraction'. Oppn Calls It I.N.D.I.A's Agenda For 2024 LS Polls

The BJP has questioned CM Ashok Gehlot over his decision to conduct a caste census in poll-bound Rajasthan and accused the Congress of doing caste politics.

Ahead of the Rajasthan assembly elections slated later this year, the Congress government in the state announced to conduct caste-census on the lines of the caste survey that was done in the state of Bihar. The issue is gaining momentum as opposition leaders demand a caste census in the country along with the regular census which has been pending since 2021. Now, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has called Gehlot's announcement a distraction of the state regime from what was "happening in Rajasthan". BJP said that it is the Centre that holds the right to conduct a caste-based census as it is in the central list of the Constitution.

On the other hand, JD(U) has claimed that the Central government will be pressurised to complete the 2021 census on the caste-based system. An ally in the Bihar government, RJD has said that there is a wave of caste-based census in the country.

 

BJP Questions Gehlot's 'Caste Census' Announcement 

Reacting to the development, BJP MP Rajyavardhan Rathore questioned CM Gehlot's intent and said: "...This is the policy of CM Ashok Gehlot to distract people from what is happening in Rajasthan... He makes big announcements and installs big posters... Why was the census conducted in 2011 not released?... Now they are talking about the new census...How will they do it?... There should be talk about development or caste?..."

 

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan came heavily on the Gehlot government and alleged that under Congress rule "women have been harassed the most and influential people are involved in it..."

"In the past five years, 19 times papers of state government exams have been leaked... These incidents make youth directionless... Farmer's situation in Rajasthan is worst..." Pradhan said.

 

Meanwhile, Rajasthan BJP leader Rajendra Rathore said, "The right to do caste based-census is in the central list of the Constitution. In the name of survey, CM (Ashok Gehlot) has issued an order (of caste survey in Rajasthan), whereas all the machinery is busy with election work. He already knows that now these machinery can’t be used for any other purpose."

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said there was no demand for a caste-census in his state because they have already recognised the poor and needy people from all communities and they have done this by going beyond the caste based system.

"Congress has always played three games in India. Their game is 3C- Corruption, crime and caste-based politics... The reason why people want a caste-based census is that poor people should be helped and benefitted. We are giving those benefits without it (caste-based census) also. We have gone beyond the caste..." Khattar said.

Caste-Census I.N.D.I.A's Agenda For 2024 Polls: JDU Chief

On the Rajasthan government's announcement of a caste-census in the state, JD(U) chief Lalan Singh said that the issue will be the agenda of I.N.D.I.A bloc for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "Caste-based census has become a big issue and an agenda for the country. In 2024 (Lok Sabha) elections, this will be the primary issue," Singh said.

RJD's Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said that people in BJP who belong to different communities want caste-census to take place. He said there's a wave of caste-census because "every caste wants to see their development figures".

"People denying this are getting exposed. If BJP does an anonymous voting for the census, PM Modi and HM Amit Shah would be shocked. People in their party who come from their communities want this census... I have been saying for days now that the PM should accept the data from Bihar..." Jha added.

Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, a minister in the Bihar government said that the central government will be pressurised to complete the 2021 census based on the caste system.

"When we released the figures of the caste-based census in Bihar on October 2, we said it that day that this census is so efficient that various states will demand it. Gradually the central government would be pressurised to complete the delayed 2021 census on caste-based system," he said.

Rajasthan CM on Saturday issued orders for conducting a comprehensive caste survey within the state.