New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Tuesday strongly contested the claims of the Congress party regarding the Census 2027 notification and accused it of deliberate ignorance of the facts, despite being clearly stated in the gazette.

Addressing a press conference at party HQs, Sudhanshu Trivedi said that the Congress party is unable to see the caste census notification because of its usual wicked style of politics.

“It didn’t even see the scale of destruction and devastation in Pakistan, despite the satellite images bringing unmistakable truth after Operation Sindoor. It’s because of this vision that Congress is not able to see the caste census notification,” said the BJP national spokesperson.

Lashing out further, he said that it is the same party that has always tried to prevent and stymie the caste-based reservations and is now raising questions on the Modi government’s pledge for social justice.

He said that the Union Cabinet took a decision after due deliberations to include caste enumeration in the Census, and the same was clearly stated in the notification.

“The press release clearly stated that along with the census, a socio-economic assessment will also be carried out, and that the caste census would be conducted for the first time in the history of independent India,” he pointed out.

Digging into history, he claimed that those who didn’t allow the Kalelkar Commission to publish their findings are today trying to spread lies.

“They are failing to read what is actually written. This exposes the true nature of their politics,” he said, in a direct swipe at the Congress party.

He also lambasted the party for drawing parallels between the gazette notification of the Centre and a Congress-ruled state.

“Caste census can’t be conducted by states; they can only conduct surveys. Only the Centre has the jurisdiction and mandate to conduct a caste census. Congress is citing the example of the Telangana survey, but its own state government has no funds left for carrying out development works,” he said.

He also accused the Opposition of pitching the caste census as a tool to gain political mileage, rather than actually working for their upliftment.

“Today, wherever there is a Congress-ruled government, the economic condition of that state has been ruined. It wants to take political advantage by pitting one community against the other. It must answer as to why the minorities have been included in the OBC category in Karnataka and Telangana,” the BJP leader demanded.

He further claimed that not just the Congress party, but many partners of the INDIA bloc are trying to milk the Census issue for furthering their political agenda.

–IANS

mr/uk