"Congress is ready to take credit for every work done": Chhattisgarh Dy CM Arun Sao on caste census

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 2 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao hit out at the Congress party for trying to take credit for the announcement of a caste census, saying that the party is ready to take credit for every work done by the Modi government.
Speaking to ANI, Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Arun Sao said, "Congress party is ready to take credit for every work done by the Modi government...What did they do to conduct a caste census since 1951? Today, the public knows that if anyone works for their welfare, it is PM Modi..."
Sao pointed out that Congress had not taken any action to conduct a caste census since 1951, despite being in power multiple times. He added that the public is now aware that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is truly working for their welfare.
Sao's remarks came after the Centre's decision to include caste data in the upcoming national census. This move has sparked political debates, with several parties claiming credit for the initiative.
On Thursday, posters were placed outside the Congress office, showing Rahul Gandhi's long-standing demands for a caste census. They stated, "Didn't we say? Modi Ji will have to conduct the caste census, we will make sure it happens!", and "In a world that bows, we need someone who can make it bow."
RJD also put up a similar poster congratulating Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and party leader Tejashwi Yadav. It credited their persistent demand for a caste-based census and termed it a victory.
On Wednesday, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while announcing the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs' decision, also highlighted concerns about the transparency and intent of some states' caste censuses, claiming that some censuses were conducted "purely from a political angle."
"While some states have conducted surveys to enumerate castes, these surveys have varied in transparency and intent, with some conducted purely from a political angle, creating doubts in society. Considering all these circumstances, and to ensure that our social fabric does not come under political pressure, it has been decided that caste enumeration should be included in the main census instead of being conducted as a separate survey," Vaishnaw said.
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census. (ANI)