Senior Congress member Anand Sharma has expressed his displeasure over Rahul Gandhi’s demand for the countrywide caste census as he said that it will “disrespect the legacy of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi”.
In a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharma said that though caste is a reality of Indian society, Congress has never engaged in nor endorsed identity politics.
“That is detrimental to democracy in a society with rich diversity of region, religion, caste and ethnicity,” he said in his letter, adding that as a representative national party, Congress has believed in inclusive approach, which is non-discriminatory in formulating policies for equality and social justice for the poor and under-privileged.
He even recalled what former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had said regarding the caste system in India.
“Departure from the historic position is a matter of concern for many Congress men and women across the country. It calls for reflection. In my humble opinion, this will be misconstrued as disrespecting the legacy of Indira ji and Rajiv ji,” the senior Congress member said. “In my considered view, a Caste Census cannot be a panacea nor a solution for the unemployment and prevailing inequalities.”
Notably, the demand for a nationwide caste census has been raised by various regional parties and it has been carried out in Congress-ruled Karnataka and Bihar, where the party was in power in alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Rahul Gandhi has also been demanding for caste census during his recently concluded Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra while Congress in its 2024 Lok Sabha election manifesto has promised to carry it out if voted to power.