Page 2 - Caste

PM gave headline without deadline: Congress on Centre's caste census move

The Congress on Thursday attacked the government after its announcement of the decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "master of giving a headline without a deadline". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said many questions arise about the decision, especially on the intention of the government, and demanded that the census should be done as soon as possible. Taking a swipe at the prime minister at a debriefing at the party's 24, Akbar Road office here, Ramesh said he is the "master at giving a headline without a deadline". Asserting that the barrier of 50 per cent cap on reservations should be removed, Ramesh asked what is stopping the Modi government from doing this. The Congress demands that there should be a Constitutional Amendment and the 50 per cent cap on reservations be removed, he said, adding that the caste census would be meaningful only when this is done. Ramesh cited a

Rahul Gandhi to credit for caste census? Congress says yes, BJP says no

As Centre backs caste Census, Congress hails Rahul Gandhi's push, but BJP claims the party ignored caste data for decades and is now playing politics

Caste census will be incorporated into the national census: Union Cabinet

India's last national census was scheduled to take place in 2021 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic

Rahul vows to 'break the wall of 50% reservation'; slams PM over US tariffs

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Waqf (Amendment) Act is anti-Constitution and an attack on the freedom of religion, as he warned that the BJP-RSS will soon go after the rights of other minorities such as Christians and Sikhs. Addressing the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati river, Gandhi also said that an economic storm is approaching and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of succumbing to pressure from US President Donald Trump on the imposition of tariffs. Did you see the photograph of PM Modi hugging Trump? This time he ordered Modi ji that we will not hug but will impose new tariffs'. PM Modi did not say a word. To divert attention from this they ran a drama in Parliament for two days, he said, adding, Where is the PM hiding? Referring to PM Modi's recent meeting with Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus, Gandhi said the Bangladeshi leader "gives adverse remarks and he is sitting with him". Where is the 56-inch chest, Gandhi asked in a swipe a

Caste-based survey to be conducted in next fiscal: Jharkhand minister

The proposed caste-based survey will be conducted in Jharkhand in the next financial year, a minister said in the state Assembly on Monday. He said the Personnel department has already been made a nodal agency to hold the task. "The government is serious about holding the caste-based survey in the state. A decision in this regard has already been taken in February last year. We will make all our efforts to conduct the survey during the next financial year," Transport, Revenue and Land Reforms department minister Deepak Birua said replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Pradip Yadav in the assembly. Yadav wanted to know about the deadline to conduct the survey. He also asked the government about the exercise done by the personnel department till now. Birua said that the department issued a notice on March 4 to hire an agency in a bid to ascertain the total number of people required, levels of work and financial aspect in the exercise. "I talked to a few agencies but it will t

Telangana govt ropes in Thomas Piketty to analyse caste census data

Piketty, 53, is a professor of economics at the Paris School of Economics and the London School of Economics and is known for his work on income and wealth inequality

56% of Telangana population belongs to backward classes, shows data

The survey, which was conducted over 50 days from November 6, 2024, engaged 103,000 enumerators and 10,000 supervisors

98% of Telangana govt's socio-economic caste survey complete: CM Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday said that 98 per cent of the caste survey undertaken by the state government has been completed. Describing the survey as a "mega health check-up" for Telangana society, the Chief Minister said the data collected would enable the ruling Congress to ensure "better representation" of the Kuruma community in panchayats, as well as in the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, proportional to their population. He was speaking after inaugurating the 'Doddi Komuraiah Kuruma Bhavan' here. The Telangana government's socio-economic, employment, political, and caste survey, which was an election promise by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, began on November 6. Amid criticism from the BRS regarding the unveiling of a new design for 'Telangana Thalli' (Mother Telangana), distinct from the one used by the regional party, Reddy defended the Congress-led government's design. He said it symbolises a "typical mother" carrying crops grown in ...

Cong targets PM ahead of Maharashtra visit, questions stand on caste census

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Thane in Maharashtra, the Congress on Saturday questioned the BJP's stand on the caste census and raising the reservation cap of 50 per cent. Questioning the Mahayuti government's delays in holding the elections to the Municipal Corporations in the state, including in Thane, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said it is an attack on democracy. "The non-biological PM is in Washim and Thane, Maharashtra tomorrow. Four questions he must answer: Where does the BJP stand on the issue of a caste census and raising the cap of 50 percent on reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs imposed by the Supreme Court," he said in a post on X. Ramesh said Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is in Kolhapur today, where he paid his respects to the legendary Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj -- the forerunner of the social justice movement in India -- at his Samadhi. Meanwhile, he said the prime minister is scheduled to visit the Pohradevi

SC says caste-based discrimination in jail manuals unconstitutional

Apex court termed 'unconstitutional' rules in jail manuals advocating caste-based work

Census likely to be held soon; no decision yet on caste column: Report

The government has started preparations for conducting the decadal census, but a decision is yet to be taken on including a column on caste as part of the exercise, sources said on Sunday. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one source said that the decadal census will be conducted soon. India has conducted the census every 10 years since 1881. The first phase of this decade's census was expected to begin on April 1, 2020 but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, enacted by Parliament last year, too is linked to the conduct of the decadal census. The law reserving one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken based on the relevant figures of the first census recorded after the Act has come into force. "This is yet to be decided," the source said when asked about inclusion of a column on caste in the decadal census. The politic

Other side of the caste debate: When Dalits turn against their own

Recent SC order allowed states to implement sub-classification of reservations

Caste calculus

Apex court recognises disparities within Schedule Castes

Congress protests caste remarks against Rahul, seeks apology from BJP

The Congress in Maharashtra on Thursday held state-wide protests against the BJP over its Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur's controversial remarks making apparent reference about Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's caste in Parliament. Thakur's comments on Gandhi were an insult to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and OBC communities, said the opposition party. State Congress president Nana Patole sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP over the comments. Talking to reporters in Mumbai during the protest, Patole said, "Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is raising his voice for the rights of backward communities. He has been demanding a caste-based census. In retaliation, a BJP MP asked Rahul Gandhi about his caste in the Lok Sabha." "By asking about his caste, the BJP not only insulted Rahul Gandhi but also disrespected SCs, STs, Nomadic Tribes and OBC communities," contended the Congress leader. Patole said not only are ...

Cong moves Privilege Motion against PM Modi over Thakur's expunged remark

Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi submitted Privilege Motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for posting expunged remarks made by Anurag Thakur

Make special efforts to eliminate caste discrimination in society: Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday called for the need to make special efforts to eliminate discrimination over caste and gender in society. The RSS chief was speaking at an intellectuals' meet in Vadodara on the second day of his two-day Gujarat visit. On Saturday, he had attended a similar programme in Bharuch in south Gujarat, stated a release from RSS. In his address to intellectuals, Bhagwat said Sajjan shakti' (noble power) should be organised and made active for social changes through harmony, family education, adherence to rituals, environmental protection, awakening of indigenous values and education in civic duty. Special efforts should be made to eliminate caste and gender differences in society, and special experiments should be done to create a network of Sajjan shakti, the release said, quoting him. During the meet, people working in fields like health, environment, art, literature, and social change expressed their thoughts and opinions about

Don't seek votes on basis of caste, religion, language: EC to parties

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission on Friday asked parties and their leaders to refrain from seeking votes on the basis of caste, religion and language, and not insult the devotee-deity relation or make any suggestion of a divine censure. In an advisory warning the parties, candidates and star campaigners of stern action for any violation of Model Code of Conduct instead of the previous practice of only 'moral censure', the poll panel also said that temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras or any other place of worship should not be used for poll propaganda or electioneering. It said that the star campaigners and candidates who have received notices in past will face stern action for repeat violation of model code. The advisory comes days before the model code is expected to come into effect with the announcement of the Lok Sabha and four state assembly polls later this month, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had recently emphasised that political parties sho

A marked life

A compilation of stories, some autobiographical and some fictional, details the agony of living in the shadows and the genuine challenges of breaking free from one's caste identity

Highlights: 4th round of talks between ministers, farmer leaders concludes

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Shun practice of mentioning caste or religion of litigants in cases: SC

The practice of mentioning caste or religion of litigants in court cases must be shunned, the Supreme Court has said while directing its registry and all other courts to stop it immediately. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah directed all high courts to ensure that the caste or religion of a litigant does not appear in the memo of parties in any petition filed before HCs or subordinate courts under their jurisdiction. "We see no reason for mentioning the caste/religion of any litigant either before this Court or the courts below. Such a practice is to be shunned and must be ceased forthwith. "It is therefore deemed appropriate to pass a general order directing that henceforth the caste or religion of parties shall not be mentioned in the memo of parties of a petition/proceeding filed before this Court, irrespective of whether any such details have been furnished before the courts below," the bench said. The top court passed the order while allowing a transfer .