Centre announced caste census only after pressure from the Congress: Girish Chodankar

Congress leaders in Chennai claim Modi government announced caste census due to pressure from Congress, not people's welfare.

The government at the Centre, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “surrendered” to the people and announced it will conduct a caste census only due to the pressure exerted by the Congress, said All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Girish Raya Chodankar in Chennai on Sunday.

Speaking at a public meeting organised by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) at Teynampet with the theme of ‘Save the Constitution’, Mr. Chodankar said: “When our leader Rahul Gandhi demanded a caste census, Mr. Modi dubbed it as an attempt to divide the country. But now, the BJP-government at the Centre has surrendered to the people, after facing pressure from the Congress, and announced a caste census.”

TNCC president K. Selvaperunthagai said it was Mr. Rahul Gandhi who exerted constant pressure on the Centre to conduct the caste census.

“For the past 11 years, the Modi-government was acting against the principle of social justice by not announcing the caste census. After having received an intelligence report that the BJP won’t win the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly election, the Modi-government, in its urgency, announced the caste census out of fear,” he alleged. Mr. Selvaperunthagai said that when former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led government was at the Centre, it brought several landmark legislations, including the National Food Security Act, the Right to Education Act, the Right to Information Act, and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

“All these legislations were pro-people. But in the last 11 years, the Modi-government has brought in initiatives only to benefit corporates and passed anti-people laws, like the Citizenship Amendment Act,” he charged.

AICC in-charge for party’s assets and properties Vijay Inder Singla, former TNCC presidents M. Krishnasamy, K.V. Thangabalu, Su. Thirunavukkarasar, K.S. Alagiri, MPs, MLAs and senior leaders of the party were among those who participated.