Once Cong forms govt in Haryana, caste-based census will be conducted: Selja

Chandigarh, Aug 26 (PTI) Congress leader Kumari Selja Monday promised to conduct a caste census in Haryana if her party is voted to power in the assembly polls.

In a statement, the Congress general secretary and Sirsa MP claimed that 74 per cent of the country’s people have endorsed the demand for a caste-based census.

“The BJP, which is anti-Dalit and anti-reservation, should stop dreaming of blocking this,” Selja said.

“Once the Congress forms the government in the state, a caste-based census will be conducted,” the former Union Minister added.

Haryana goes to polls on October 1 and the Congress is eyeing to wrest power from the BJP.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had on Sunday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfil the nation’s demand for a caste census immediately, otherwise he would see the next PM do it.

No power can stop a nationwide caste census, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha had said on X in Hindi, tagging a post by the Congress on a “mood of the nation poll” by a media group which said 74 per cent of people in August said a caste census must be conducted, up from the 59 per cent in February this year.

Gandhi’s remarks came a day after he pressed the demand for a nationwide caste census and said 90 per cent of the people in the country were sitting out of the system and the step should be taken in their interest.

He also said that for the Congress, the “caste census” is the foundation and a tool for policy-making.