Project Caste Census move as victory of Rahul Gandhi-led campaign, AICC tells party units

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has asked Pradesh Congress Committees and the central and state party frontal organisations and functionaries to effectively highlight the role of the party, particularly that of Rahul Gandhi, in pushing for the caste census. It also asked them to circulate the Congress Working Committee's resolution on the subject during the party's ongoing 'Samvidhan Bachao' (Save the Constitution) rallies and programmes. The move comes as part of the Congress' attempts to hold on to its caste-census plank while guarding against the Modi government taking credit for that after it announced the decision to conduct the caste census.

In a May 3 party circular titled "Implementation of CWC Resolution on Caste Census", AICC general secretary (org) KC Venugopal asked Congress functionaries to ensure that the party campaigns and meetings are "amplifying the Congress party's demand for a caste census, the leadership role of Rahul Gandhi and the CWC resolution and BJP's record of caste denial and anti-Bahujan actions". He asked them to highlight the CWC resolution and its demands for a time-bound and transparent caste enumeration, lifting reservation beyond 50% and for quota in private educational institutions. These will be undertaken during the party's assembly-level Samvidhan Bachao rallies and house-to-house campaigns scheduled till May 30, through street-corner meetings with various stakeholders besides organising press conferences.

Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government had in the past opposed a caste census and its decision now to conduct it amounted to a "desperate U-turn".