Latest news with #CasteCensus
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Caste Census will only be done properly in 2027, under PDA govt": Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 6 (ANI): Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Friday, emphasised that the Caste Census will only be done properly under the PDA (Pichde, Dalits, Alpsankhyak) government in 2027. Speaking with the media, Yadav said, 'Caste Census will happen in 2027, under the PDA (Pichde, Dalits, Alpasankhyak) Government. Only then will the Census be done properly.' Further, Akhilesh Yadav claimed that there is an incomplete museum in Agra of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which the Samajwadi Party's government will not only complete, but also install a grand statue of Shivaji Maharaj at Lucknow 'In honour of a great personality like Chhatrapati Shivaji is an incomplete museum in Agra whose architect is the Samajwadis, will not only make the museum in his name, but we will also install a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Lucknow Riverfront; his throne will be made of gold. Samajwadis will honour him like that in 2027,' Akhilesh Yadav said. Uttar Pradesh will witness the next Assembly elections in 2027 between the two most prominent parties, i.e., Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party. The Congress is likely to contest the polls in alliance with the SP. In the current session, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 elected members, 258 of whom are from the Bhartiya Janata Party, 107 from the Samajwadi Party, and 13 from the Apna Dal. In addition to that, Rastriya Lok Dal has nine; the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party has six; the Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal has five; Jansatta Dal Loktantrik and Congress have two; and the Bahujan Samaj Party has only one representative. Earlier today, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attended the 'Samvidhan Sabha' in Rajgir, Nalanda. Addressing the gathering, Gandhi emphasised the need for a caste census and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance on the issue. He questioned PM Modi's claim of being an OBC while asserting that the BJP denies the existence of caste in India, emphasising the need for a genuine caste census. 'Narendra Modi used to say in every speech, I am OBC. Then, on the caste census, they say that there is no caste in India. If there is no caste in India, then how did Narendra Modi become an OBC? My goal is to conduct a caste census. I had said this to Narendra Modi face to face in Lok Sabha - there will be a caste census, and you know he has a habit of surrendering,' Rahul Gandhi posted on Congress X handle. Rahul Gandhi emphasised the importance of conducting a caste census, asserting that it would reveal the country's actual social and economic dynamics. (ANI)
Hans India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Cong to blow trumpet over Caste Census in Telangana
Hyderabad: The AICC urged State BC leaders to promote the achievement of Caste Census in the State, as it has set an example at the national level. During the meeting which was attended by Rahul Gandhi, K C Venugopal in Delhi, Telangana was credited with Centre's decision to include caste enumeration in the next census. A decision was taken to hold public meetings and rallies in the State highlighting the achievement. During a national level meet of OBC representatives in Delhi, which was attended by BC leaders including Ministers, MLAs, MLCs and other party leaders, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the caste census was conducted in Telangana setting an example for the country. Ponnam said that the Centre is also going to conduct a caste enumeration across the country on the lines of the caste survey undertaken by the Congress government in Telangana. 'Rahul Gandhi said that the weaker sections of the country will get justice through the caste census and that they should get their share according to the population,' the Minister said. Ponnam said that the caste census is not against anyone. He highlighted that all the BCs who have not been given an opportunity for years will be able to participate in the democratic platform through the caste census.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
How Caste Census Can Shake Up Muslim Vote Base, Reshape India's Electoral Politics
/ May 06, 2025, 05:15PM IST The upcoming Caste Census could do more than just count — it might reshape political power within the Muslim community and redefine voting behavior across India. Traditionally seen as a united bloc against the BJP, India's Muslims are now under focus for their own internal caste divisions — often ignored but deeply rooted. Could the caste census fragment the Muslim vote, reshape alliances, or even influence national elections? This deep-dive breaks it down.#CasteCensus #Muslims #IndianMuslims #CasteData #CasteSurvey #CasteCensus2025 #MuslimVotebank #CasteDivide #toibharat
Hans India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
NDA highlighting ‘war issue' for its political benefits: Cong
Nellore: District Congress Committee (DCC) president Chevuru Devakumar Reddy has alleged that BJP-led NDA government is highlighting the 'War with Pakistan' issue only because of its party political benefits in coming elections. Addressing a press conference at Indira Bhavan in the city on Monday, the Congress leader said that elections were scheduled in some states very soon as the BJP has utilised the Pahalgam terrorists' attacks as an opportunity of it party's political image in the coming elections. He said that if BJP lead NDA government really cares of its part over addressing cross bordered terrorism in J&K Valley, then why it fails to arrest the culprits involved in the attacks till date, he questioned. Devakumar alleged that instead of suppressing the terrorism, BJP is encouraging the religious politics leads war like situation prevailed at Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). He also demanded to conduct Caste Census in impartial manner. He said that Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President YS Sharmila likely to visit on 13th May in Nellore district. Also present at the meeting were party leaders Vudatha Venkata Rao, Bala Sudhakar and others.
Arabian Post
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Arabian Post
Influencing Bihar Election Merely On Caste Census Promise Not Possible
By Dr. Gyan Pathak Centre's announcement of conducting national level Caste Census along with the forthcoming Census in India has intensified caste politics in Bihar, the first state to go to polls later in 2025, whose Vidhan Sabha's term is to expire on November 22, this year. Political analysts have already claimed that by announcing the decision, PM Narendra Modi has punctured the core political plank of the INDIA bloc, called Mahagathbandhan in the state. Such a conclusion has obviously ignored the fact that Bihar voters are the most conscious and practical on caste politics in the country, who can't be easily waylaid by mere promise. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha has rightly pointed out that a reluctant government's agreeing to a caste census is not the destination, but only the beginning, and the opposition is alert, and will watch it closely. His statement has come at a time when there is already a Mahagathbandhan conducted caste census of report of October 2023, which the PM Narendra Modi's national caste census may supersede. Here lies the real battle line on the ground. BJP has always been opposing the caste census, and in spite of strong opposition by their leadership, JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar led Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar got the caste census done which made Bihar the first state in the country in independent India to conduct caste census. After the Bihar Caste Census report was out, Nitish Kumar switched over to join BJP. CM Nitish Kumar even said that it was not caste census but merely a caste survey. Therefore, it is obvious that Bihar's caste survey report would be superseded by National Caste Census. There will be difference between the two, since the list of castes within Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs differs from state to state. It implies that STs, SCs and OBCs in Bihar may not be the same as the central level caste census. This uncertainty may sharpen the politics around INDIA bloc's caste census vs BJP's caste census. As we know that the Bihar voters are most practical in caste politics, they are likely to stick to their old loyalties with the political parties for now, since BJP's ruling establishment led caste census results will not be out before the Bihar elections. Centre is yet to announce the modalities of caste headcounts and the time when the Census will be conducted in the country. There are other issues that may crop up during the Bihar election campaign, one of the most important will be the number of reserved seats for the STs and SCs on the basis of the National Census and the proposed national caste census. Bihar Vidhan Sabha has 243 assembly seats as of now, out of which 2 are reserved for STs, and 38 are reserved for SCs. The impact of national caste census on political reservation of seats is still uncertain, though it is likely to push up the reserved seats for SCs. Nitish Kumar has been playing Dalit and Mahadalit politics for quite some time, and many of the Dalit communities have been voting in the favour of JD(U). Then there in LJP (RV) led by Chirag Paswan that gets large chunk of Dalit votes. Both are with the BJP, and hence the NDA may gain a little upper hand in Dalit politics in certain pockets. 2024 Lok Sabha election was held after the Bihar caste survey, which had adversely impacted the political fortune of BJP and JD(U), while the Mahagathbandhan that got conducted the caste survey gained. Politically caste conscious voters of Bihar taught a lesion to BJP by reducing its seat by 5, and JD(U) by reducing its seat by 4. NDA's total loss was 9 seats. Gain for INDIA bloc's constituent RJD 4, INC 2, and CPI(ML)L 2 seats. Caste conscious voters did not believe in either Nitish Kumar or PM Narendra Modi. Why? Perhaps because Nitish Kumar joined hands with BJP the opposer of the Bihar Caste survey in January November 2023 itself, Gathbandhan government had implemented 65 per cent reservation on the ground of caste survey. Which was stayed by the Patna High court just about a week before Nitish shifted his loyalty to BJP. Both Nitish and BJP became suspect that they did not handle the issue properly, and the Patna High Court ultimately struck it down in June 2024. OBCs were as suspicious of them now, as they were at that time. As for the OBC politics, the caste census has been a product of the idea of socialist political parties and their leaders. That is why they have been the traditional beneficiaries for almost three decades. BJP has been trying to make up the loss by giving more and more prominence to the OBC leaders in the party and in ministries and other posts of profits. In spite of that, in Bihar politics, there are still socialists who have support of majority of OBCs. While Nitish Kumar has been losing their support fast, the net beneficiary seems to be the RJD and the INDIA bloc. PM Narendra Modi has tried its best to attract the OBCs by announcing caste census at national level, but this promise only may not work. BJP will need much more concrete to do for OBCs on the ground before the Bihar election. In the meantime, political parties and their leaders in Bihar have intensified their campaign on caste census. INDIA bloc parties, especially the JD(U) and Congress has given credit to itself for the Bihar caste survey of 2023, while emphasizing that it was their campaign for social justice that enforced the hesitant PM Narendra Modi to announce caste census at national level. BJP on the other hand taking credit for announcing caste census at the national level and praising PM Narendra Modi for that. The campaign and counter campaign of the BJP and INDIA bloc may sharpen the consciousness of the Bihar votes towards caste politics, making the electoral battle difficult for the BJP, as one can see through the caste data revealed in the Bihar caste survey. EBCs are 36.01 per cent, BCs are 27.12 per cent, SCs are 19.65 per cent, Forward castes are 15.52 per cent and Scheduled Tribes are 1.68 per cent. Backward classes are altogether 63.14 per cent whose votes are crucial for winning Bihar. Waqf Amendment Act of 2025 has antagonised the Muslims who constituted 17.70 per cent of the population of the state, who are likely to support INDIA bloc, and the party like AIMIM may not get much of their votes. Additionally, Bihar is currently witnessing shifting coalitions and caste equations. Nitish Kumar's health condition may adversely impact JD(U)'s political fortune. BJP is still suspicious about alliance with Nitish on account of his track record of deserting alliances. RJD has been successful in breaching Kurmi-Koiri united base of Nitish Kumar, as the 2024 Lok Sabha election shows. RJD's old MY (Muslim Yadav) has been replaced by MY-BAAP ( Muslim, Yadav, Bahujan, Agda, Aadhi, Abaadi and the Poor. Splinter LJP led by Pashupati Kumar Paras has already left NDA to join INDIA bloc, which will bring a chunk of Dalit votes to INDIA bloc. These are some of the factors that make BJP's win challenging, and there will be no cake walk for the party on merely a promise of caste census at the national level, which BCs suspect would interfere with Bihar's own caste survey of 2023. (IPA Service)
