Caste census to empower economically, socially backward classes: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said caste census will empower backward classes and promote inclusion. He blamed Congress and allies for opposing it in power and politicising it in opposition

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday (April 30) hailed the central government's decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census, calling it a historic move aimed at empowering economically and socially backward communities.

 

Shah said the move sends a clear message of the government's “strong commitment towards social equality and rights of every section”. The home minister also took sharp aim at the Congress and its allies, accusing them of resisting the caste census for decades while in power and using it as a political tool when in opposition.

 

“Congress, its allies opposed caste census for decades while in power and played politics over it while in opposition,” Shah said in a statement, adding, “This decision to conduct caste census will empower economically and socially backward classes, promote inclusion.”

 

Reiterating the government's intent, he further said, “Modi govt, committed to social justice, has taken a historic decision on caste census.”

Oppn exploited caste census issue for electoral gains: Vaishnaw

Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs' (CCPA) decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census.

 

“The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has decided today that caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming census,” Vaishnaw told reporters at a press briefing.

 

Criticising the opposition’s stance, Vaishnaw also accused the Congress-led INDIA bloc of exploiting the issue for electoral gains. “It is well understood that Congress and its INDI alliance partners have used the caste census only as a political tool,” he said.

 

He argued that previous attempts through surveys had created social doubts and confusion. “Such surveys created doubts in society. To ensure that our social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be included in the census instead of surveys,” he said, adding, “Caste enumeration should be transparently included in the census instead of the survey.”

 

Caste census: Implications for Bihar polls

The Centre’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census could have significant political ramifications in Bihar, where the demand for such data has gained momentum ahead of the assembly elections.

 

The announcement aligns with a key demand of the Opposition, which has consistently called for a caste census to challenge the BJP’s broad support base that cuts across Hindu castes. With backward communities constituting a substantial portion of Bihar's population, the Opposition has sought to use caste data to sharpen its appeal among marginalised groups.

 

By taking the initiative at the national level, the BJP appears keen to counter this narrative. The party is expected to benefit from shifting the discourse, particularly in Bihar, where the Janata Dal (United) — then part of the Opposition Mahagathbandhan — had conducted a state-level caste survey revealing that backward groups comprise nearly two-thirds of the population.

 

The Centre’s announcement drew swift approval from the BJP’s allies in Bihar. The JD(U), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party welcomed the move, calling it a “historic” step towards social justice.

Caste census: Historical context

The last comprehensive caste-based census in India was carried out in 1931. Although caste details were reportedly gathered in 1941, they were never published due to the outbreak of World War II. Since then, decadal censuses have only included data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, leaving a large section of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) without official enumeration.

 

In the absence of reliable nationwide data, estimates like the Mandal Commission’s figure — placing OBCs at around 52% of the population — have guided policymaking and electoral calculations. However, these numbers are widely considered outdated and imprecise.

 

States currently maintain their own lists of OBCs, some of which include further divisions such as Most Backward Classes. These variations have made it difficult to establish a consistent nationwide caste database, a gap the Centre now seems prepared to address.