New Delhi: At a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on Friday, Rahul Gandhi questioned the timing of the Centre’s announcement to conduct a caste census alongside the upcoming population count, calling it “suspect” amid national mourning for the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. While acknowledging the move as a “first step” toward social justice, he criticized the government for providing no details or funding for the exercise.
The CWC adopted a resolution demanding urgent implementation steps, including a constitutional amendment to lift the 50% cap on reservations and the enforcement of Article 15(5) to ensure caste-based quotas in private educational institutions.
The party also urged the adoption of a “Telangana model” for caste enumeration, stressing transparency, parliamentary debate, and a defined roadmap for data collection and use. The CWC emphasized that the findings should guide policies on reservations, welfare, education, and employment.
Meanwhile, the Congress intensified pressure on the Centre over the Pahalgam terror attack, demanding “tangible action” and criticizing the lack of clear political direction, calling the government’s response “an eyewash.”
