Jairam Ramesh Slams PM Modi's "Sudden and Desperate U-Turn" on Caste Census

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Sunday sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he described as a "sudden and desperate U-turn" on caste census in India.

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The central government had recently announced that caste enumeration would be part of the upcoming national census, a move that has sparked widespread political discussion.

Through a social media post, the Congress leader highlighted how the Modi government had previously opposed the idea of a caste-based census. He referred to three instances that he says clearly show the government's change in stance. In April 2024, Prime Minister Modi, during a television interview, had labeled those demanding a caste census as "urban naxals."

Ramesh also recalled that in July 2021, the central government had informed Parliament that it had decided not to collect caste-wise population data, except for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).