Modi govt under pressure, won't conduct 'true caste census': Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed that the Modi government announced a caste census only under pressure and it would neither get a "true" caste census done nor remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations.

He made the remarks at the launch of the Voter Adhikar Yatra that started from poll-bound Bihar's Sasaram and saw the participation of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahani.

CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(M)'s Subhashini Ali and CPI's P Sandosh Kumar also joined the launch ceremony of Gandhi's 1,300 km-long yatra.

"We had said in Parliament, that we want a caste census and that the wall of 50 per cent cap on reservation should be brought down. I said it before PM Modi.

"But the BJP and Narendra Modi, under pressure, announced a caste census but I know that they will not conduct a true caste census and will never bring down the wall of 50 per cent cap on reservations," Gandhi said in his address at the launch event.

The Congress and INDIA bloc will get a caste census done in the whole country and remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations, Gandhi said.

The Centre announced in April that caste enumeration will be part of the next population census, with the inclusion of caste details for the first time since independence.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have been demanding a nationwide caste census for long.

Following the Union government's announcement, the Congress said many questions arise about the government's caste census decision, especially, the intention of the government, and the deadline for conducting the census.

The Voter Adhikar Yatra will cover over 20 districts in Bihar to step up the Congress's campaign against what it claims to be "vote chori".

It began on Sunday with Tejashwi driving a jeep which had Gandhi, Sahani, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar and Bhattacharya in it.