- Incidentally, Congress-ruled Telangana will become the third state to hold such a caste-based headcount after Andhra Pradesh and Bihar
- JMM-ruled Jharkhand will undertake this in the next fiscal
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin passes the buck on BJP-led Union Government
NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, MAR 27
Whatever the opposition Congress proposes in the saffron party-run state, the government disposes. When the Congress sought a “caste-based census” in Gujarat under Collection of Statistics Act 2008, though the demand was rejected by the BJP government in the state on Thursday.
Reacting to this demand, Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai said, “The Gujarat government does not undertake any such exercise involving surveys based on social and economic parameters. Thus, we have not issued any directions in this manner.”
During a discussion on The Gujarat Appropriation Bill 2025, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Amit Chavda said caste-based census is necessary for ensuring proper allocation of resources and budget in the state.
“Some specific regions as well as communities face discrimination in budget allocation. The government does not have any data about social, economical and educational backwardness. As a result, some specific communities are left out when policies are framed or during allocation of budget,” Chavda said.
A survey based on social, economical and educational parameters is necessary to find out which community developed more and which got left behind as well as which region requires more attention and budgetary allocation, Chavda said.
“When we demanded a caste-based census, the government claimed only the Centre has such powers, not states. However, as per the 2008 Act (Collection of Statistics Act), a state can conduct caste surveys based on these parameters. But, despite being in power for three decades, the BJP government never carried out such a survey,” said Chavda.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin passes the buck on BJP
Incidentally, Congress-ruled Telangana will become the third state to hold such a caste-based headcount after Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. JMM-ruled Jharkhand will undertake this in the next fiscal.
While speaking at the third national conference of the All India Federation for Social Justice last December, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said the BJP government must immediately commence the decennial census that was due in 2021, along with a caste-based survey.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that a caste-based census was essential to devise schemes and enact legislation to provide equal rights and opportunities in education, employment, and the economy for the people.
