Not releasing caste survey data in 2011 was UPA mistake: Rahul Gandhi

RANCHI: Congress member Rahul Gandhi admitted on Monday that it was a mistake that a caste census policy, the brainchild of the UPA government , was not implemented in 2011 and no data of the caste elements collected during the national socio-economic survey was released to the public. Gandhi, however, stressed that a fresh caste census is a prerequisite to decide the future paradigm of the nation and its progress while brushing aside BJP charges against him and Congress that they divide people on caste lines for "vote-bank politics".

He also blamed BJP for the violence in Manipur and criticised PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah for not talking about the northeastern state and failing to rein in the violence.

Responding to a TOI query during a press conference here, Gandhi said, "A fresh caste census is vital for the right preparation of plans and policies besides making equitable distribution of the country's resources among the deserving."

On BJP's charge that Congress has no blueprint for such a census, he said, "We have a blueprint ready on ways to conduct the caste census and implement its findings. Today, data is everything... call it a goldmine. Through the caste census, our idea is to conduct an X-ray of all those inhabiting the country to work towards their better inclusion in all streams and not just restrict the country's resources to a few capitalists, which is happening currently under the NDA regime." Gandhi said, "I personally believe that the UPA government should have implemented its brainchild - a caste census. It was indeed a mistake on our part then."

He added, "BJP is propagating a wrong narrative against me and Congress, but when we say we would end the 50% ceiling of quota, we mean to re-evaluate the quota based on the representation of that particular caste. This can only happen when we conduct a caste census, which is a beautiful idea for the country."

Rahul said they are committed to breaking the 50% reservation ceiling based on caste census data while BJP is trying to end reservation.

Gandhi also said two Congress-governed states - Telangana and Karnataka - have already started work in this regard. "In Jharkhand, too, it will be rolled out if the INDIA bloc comes to office."