DyCM reiterates caste enumeration concerns

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara has questioned the Centre’s approach to the caste census, saying the exercise could fail to address social inequalities if the method of collecting caste details is not made more precise.

“The way the central government is implementing the caste census is questionable. The main purpose is that everyone should get justice. When we do not get it, we have to raise our voice. Our duty is to provide opportunities to the neglected communities. There are many gaps in society,” Parameshwara said.

His remarks come amid objections within the Congress to the questionnaire being used for caste enumeration. The party has opposed open ended questions on caste and has demanded that the Centre prepare a certified list before collecting the information.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has argued that respondents should not be left to provide caste names without a standardised framework. The party wants the government to withdraw the existing questionnaire and prepare a fresh one after consultations with political parties, experts and the public.

The Congress has pointed to the caste surveys conducted in Telangana and Bihar as models for the exercise. The party has held a series of press conferences on the issue and has also sought changes to the Centre’s approach through correspondence with the Prime Minister.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 20, raising concerns over the manner in which caste details would be collected.

The dispute centres on how caste identities should be recorded so that the resulting data can later be used to assess representation and access to opportunities. Congress leaders have argued that allowing respondents to enter caste names without a certified list could produce inconsistencies in the final data.

Parameshwara said the exercise should ultimately be judged by whether it helps communities that have remained deprived of opportunities.

“If it is the same even in the 21st century, then the purpose of independence will not be fulfilled. If the way they are doing it is right, why do doubts arise? They should do it right and conduct the caste census so that justice is given to the strata of society,” he said.

The Congress has been seeking a caste enumeration that produces data it considers reliable enough to inform government policy. Its demand for a certified caste list is part of that argument, with the party saying the process should be designed to reduce ambiguity before the enumeration begins.

The Centre’s caste enumeration is scheduled as part of the 2027 national Census.