Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, May 1: Union minister for heavy industries and steel H D Kumaraswamy has hailed the central government’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census as a “historic and visionary” step, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiative.
“A historic and visionary decision under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, caste enumeration will now be part of the upcoming national census for the first time since 1931,” Kumaraswamy stated.
He said the move would ensure that the country has authentic, scientific and transparent caste data, replacing what he described as politically motivated state-level surveys that lacked credibility and uniformity.
“With this bold move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive governance and data-driven policymaking. This will empower welfare planning, strengthen social justice, and shape a more equitable future for all,” he added.
“My heartfelt appreciation to the prime minister for this decisive and far-sighted action in the interest of the nation,” Kumaraswamy concluded.
Former deputy chief minister and BJP MLA C N Ashwath Narayan also welcomed the central government’s decision, calling it a much-needed corrective measure. Speaking to the media at the BJP state office, ‘Jagannath Bhavan’ in Bengaluru, he criticised the Congress-led state government for previously conducting a caste survey without legal authority.
“The state government had no mandate to carry out a caste census, but the Congress conducted it in the name of a social and educational survey,” he said. He alleged that confusion prevailed throughout the process in Karnataka.
“There were widespread complaints that the survey was not properly conducted, lacked legal validity, and that enumerators did not visit every household. The counting of castes was not accurate,” he claimed.
Ashwath Narayan accused the Congress of deliberately creating social divisions through its flawed approach and said the Centre’s decision would restore legitimacy. “To put an end to all this and to clear the air, the central government has decided to conduct the caste census in a clear, scientific, legally valid, and officially authorised manner,” he added.
He emphasised that the process would now be systematic and comprehensive, allowing for a better understanding of the conditions faced by all sections of society. “On behalf of the BJP, I convey congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this initiative,” he said.
N Ravikumar, chief whip of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, said the Centre's move marked a significant moment in the country's history.
“For the first time since Independence, the central government is conducting a caste census. This will help in making decisions regarding the country's educational, economic and social conditions, and will be useful for many future policy decisions,” he stated.
Speaking at the BJP state office, he said the decision had been welcomed by people across the country and stressed that the central government was well within its constitutional rights to take this step.
He criticised earlier efforts by certain political parties to carry out caste surveys for electoral gain. “In the past, some parties conducted caste surveys only to serve their own political interests,” he said.
Ravikumar noted that the earlier social, economic and educational survey conducted in Karnataka lacked rigour and drew criticism. “Many communities had opposed it, and several claimed their population figures were underrepresented,” he stated.
The central government’s caste census decision is now expected to lay the groundwork for informed and inclusive policymaking, and is being viewed by many leaders as a long-overdue correction in India's data landscape.