"Rahul Gandhi has been continuously batting for caste census": Congress leader KC Venugopal

New Delhi [India], May 1 (ANI): Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on Thursday welcomed the Centre's decision to conduct a caste census and credited Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for continuously batting for caste census.
"At last they (central government) agreed that the caste census is the need of the country and need of the hour. Since the last 3-4 years, (Lok Sabha) LoP Rahul Gandhi has been continuously batting for a caste census and raising the genuine issues of the people of this country...Whenever he does that, the BJP attacks him in a very bad manner...Our PM had told that in this country, only four castes are there, then what is the need for caste survey?... We are very happy," Venugopal told ANI.
According to Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the Census is a Union subject listed at item 69 in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule.
On Wednesday, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while announcing the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs had also highlighted how while some states conducted their own caste census, he worried about their transparency or intent, claiming that some census 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.
Bihar, Karnataka and Telangana have already conducted a caste census in their respective state. Telangana has also implemented a 42 pc Backward Classes reservation for people in the state. (ANI)