A day after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) indicated support for a caste census—one of the key demands of the Opposition—the Congress party has posed pointed questions to both the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to X to ask: “Now that the RSS has given its approval, will the non-biological Prime Minister hijack another Congress guarantee and conduct a caste census?”
Ramesh’s remarks followed a statement by RSS publicity in-charge Sunil Ambekar, who hinted support for a caste-based census, provided it is not used for “political or electoral purposes.” Ambekar was speaking to the media on the final day of the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Samnvay Baithak of the RSS in Palakkad, Kerala.
This development comes as the BJP faces pressure from opposition parties such as Congress, Samajwadi Party, and allies within the INDIA bloc. BJP’s NDA allies, including the JD(U) and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), are also advocating for a caste census to aid in better policy-making.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had promised that conducting a caste census and providing a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price for crops would be among the first decisions or “guarantees” of a new Congress government.
Ambekar noted that previous governments have also conducted caste-based data collection and said there is “no problem” with repeating this process, provided the data is used correctly. He said that such data is crucial for targeting welfare activities and addressing the needs of specific communities and castes.
Ramesh criticised the RSS’ stance as “didactic or preachy” and questioned what the RSS means when it says the caste census should not be misused for election campaigning. He asked if the RSS intends to act as a judge or an umpire in this matter.
Ramesh also questioned “who the RSS is” to give permission for a caste census, adding, “Does RSS have veto power on the caste census?”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also sought clarity on the RSS’ stance. Kharge posted on X in Hindi, asking, “Is the Sangh Parivar, which favours Manusmriti over the Constitution, genuinely concerned about the participation of Dalits, tribals, backward classes, and the poor?”
Meanwhile, the RSS mentioned “issues” and “lack of coordination” with the BJP but dismissed these concerns as a “family matter” to be resolved through discussions.
“Other issues will be resolved. It is a family matter. A three-day baithak has taken place and everyone has participated. Everything is going well,” Ambekar said.
Earlier, BJP chief JP Nadda had said that the party no longer needed the RSS, describing it as “saksham (self-sufficient).” This remark reportedly demoralised RSS workers, affecting voter mobilisation and contributing to underwhelming results for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.
