New Delhi [India], January 26 : Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government, stating that the Prime Minister had earlier dismissed demands for a caste census, but was eventually forced to accept it due to widespread public pressure led by the opposition party.
In a post on X, Ramesh recalled that on April 28, 2024, Prime Minister Modi, in a television interview, had accused those seeking a caste census of possessing an "urban Naxal mindset". However, he said the Prime Minister later had to "bow down" to the growing demand for such an exercise, which the Congress had consistently raised.
"On April 28, 2024, the Prime Minister himself, in a television 'interview', accused those demanding a caste census of being afflicted with an 'urban Naxal mindset'. But it is clear that ultimately, the Prime Minister had to bow down and accept the widespread demand for a caste census, which the Indian National Congress had vociferously raised," Jairam Ramesh posted on 'X'.
Ramesh also outlined the 2027 Census schedule. He said Phase 1, which will be the House-listing and Housing Census, is scheduled for April to September 2026, with Phase 2, involving Population Enumeration, will be conducted in September 2026 in snow-bound regions including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, and in February 2027 in the rest of the country.
"The Phase-1 of the 2027 Census is scheduled to take place from April to September 2026. This will be the House-listing and Housing Census, the details of which have just been announced. The Phase-2 of the 2027 Census, that is, the Population Enumeration, is set for September 2026 in the snow-covered areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, and Jammu & Kashmir, while it will occur in February 2027 in the rest of the country," he added.
Highlighting the policy reversal, Ramesh said that on April 30, 2025, the Modi government announced that a caste census would be included in the 2027 Census. He pointed out that the government had earlier rejected the idea of a caste census in Parliament on July 20, 2021, and in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on September 21, 2021.
"On April 30, 2025, the Modi government, taking a complete U-turn, suddenly announced that the caste census would be included in the 2027 Census. Subsequently, on December 12, 2025, it was declared that the caste census would be part of Phase-2 of the 2027 Census. It is important to recall that until then, the Modi government had consistently rejected the idea of a caste census--as evidenced by (i) the response to a question in the Lok Sabha on July 20, 2021, and (ii) an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on September 21, 2021," said Jairam Ramesh.
Ramesh further expressed concern about the recently notified questionnaire for the House-listing and Housing Census, noting that Question 12 asks only whether the head of the household belongs to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or 'Other' category, "while there is no explicit question about OBC and General categories".
He said this formulation raises serious doubts about the government's commitment to conducting a genuine, comprehensive and nationwide caste census.
"The Modi government has just notified the list of topics to be included in the schedule for the House-listing and Housing Census. Question 12 asks whether the head of the household belongs to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or 'Other' category--while there is no explicit question about OBC and General categories. Since the caste census is to be made part of the 2027 Census, the way Question 12 has been framed raises serious questions about the Modi government's true intentions and its commitment to a comprehensive, fair, and nationwide caste census," he said.
The Congress leader said his party has demanded that the Modi government immediately begin consultations with political parties, state governments and civil society organisations before finalising the caste census framework.
He added that the Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste Survey (SEEEPC) survey conducted by the Telangana government in 2025 should serve as a model, as it collected detailed caste-wise data on education, employment, income, and political representation, which he said were essential for achieving inclusive growth and social justice.
"The Indian National Congress demands that the Modi government immediately initiate consultations with political parties, state governments, and civil society organisations before finalising the details of the caste census process. The Congress believes that the SEEEPC survey conducted by the Telangana government in 2025 is the most comprehensive and accurate way to gather crucial caste-wise information related to education, employment, income, and political participation, which is extremely essential for ensuring broad-based economic and social justice," said Jairam Ramesh.