“Congress’ Stand Very Clear on Caste Census, We Are In Favour of It”: KC Venugopal

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s recent post cautioning against the concept of “Jitni abadi utna haq” (rights based on population) created a stir. In response to this, party leader KC Venugopal reiterated the Congress Party’s firm position on the matter, expressing support for it. He stated, “Our party’s stand is very clear. We are for a caste census. Congress President and Rahul Gandhi have given statements on it,” in an interview.

Amid the ongoing debate over this issue, Abhishek Manu Singhvi clarified his stance, asserting that he had not deviated from the party’s standpoint regarding population-based rights. Singhvi underlined the importance of establishing facts before making any decisions based on population figures.

He explained, “I didn’t take a different stand. We have supported it (Jitni abadi utna haq) and will continue to support it. All court orders have uniformly stated that a decision has to be taken on the basis of facts. How can a decision be arrived at without facts? So, for facts, it is essential for a (national) caste census to take place.”

The debate gained momentum after the Bihar state government released data from its caste-based survey. Responding to this development, Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader, endorsed the slogan “Jitni abadi utna Haq” and emphasized its significance.

Rahul Gandhi pointed out the findings of the Bihar caste census, highlighting the underrepresentation of certain groups in the Central Government. He stated, “The caste census of Bihar has revealed that OBC SC ST are 84% there. Out of 90 secretaries of the Central Government, only 3 are OBC, who handle only 5% of India’s budget! Therefore, it is important to know the caste statistics of India. ‘Jitni Abadi Utna Haq’ – this is our pledge,” in a post on ‘X.’

The caste survey data from Bihar holds potential implications for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as it indicates that the Other Backward Caste (OBC) and Extremely Backward Class (EBC) communities collectively constitute a significant portion of the state’s population, potentially influencing the political landscape.

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