Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 1 : Union Agricultre Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said that the Centre's decision for caste census has been taken for in the interest of the nation for welfare of every section of society in a transparent manner and that accurate figures are required to formulate policies for social welfare.
Chouhan told ANI that the caste census will become the basis of public welfare, and the decision has been taken for social justice.
"The census is in the domain of central government. Some states did their own surveys, but at some places it caused trouble. Today it has become necessary that accurate figures are needed to formulate policies for public welfare. I believe that this caste census will become the basis of public welfare and the foundation of social justice," he said.
The government decided to Wednesday to include caste count in the forthcoming population census. The decision was taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With Congress leaders seeking to take credit for the government's decision on the caste census and saying that Rahul Gandhi had exerted pressure on the government, Chouhan said "ruckus" is sought to be created to gain credit.
"First, he should answer why they did not conduct a caste census when they were in power? Why didn't you put pressure on your government? Who stopped you? You should have conducted the caste census. They were even against caste based reservation. Why did Late Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi not conduct caste census? When they are in power, they will not conduct it...Congress never works for public welfare, but only to garner votes. It is in their DNA to spread lies and falsehoods," Chouhan said.
Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday extended support for the government's decision to conduct caste enumeration during the forthcoming population census, but asked it to specify a timeline.
Addressing a press conference here, Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said Telangana has provided a model for conducting caste census, and it can provide a blueprint for the exercise at the national level.
He said the Congress has been demanding a caste census and the government had "suddenly after 11 years" taken this decision.
"We had said in the Parliament that we will make the Caste Census happen. We had also said that we would scrap the 50% cap, the artificial wall that is in place. Narendra Modi used to say that there are just four castes. Don't know what happened, but suddenly after 11 years, Caste Census has been announced," Rahul Gandhi said.
"We completely support it but we want a timeline. We want to know that by when this will happen. This is the first step. Telangana has become a model in Caste Census and it can become a blueprint. We offer our support to the government in designing the Caste Census...There are two examples - Bihar's and Telangana's and there is a vast difference between the two," he added.