New Delhi: Feeling vindicated over the BJP government’s decision to carry out a caste census in the country, the Congress demanded time-bound and transparent implementation of the decision, hoping it does not end up like another BJP ‘jumla’ and meet the same fate as that of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

The Congress Working Committee, which met at AICC Office at 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi on May 2, 2025, under the leadership of the Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, passed a resolution, noting that no details have been provided of what the government intends to do and no financial allocations have been made. Out of 88 CWC members, 60 were present including Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi.

Earlier, in his opening remarks at the meeting, Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge congratulated Shri Rahul Gandhi for it, while pointing out how he had raised the matter from time-to-time and made it one of the main issues during the 2024 General Election campaign and afterwards.

The Congress Working Committee passed resolutions on Caste Census and Pahalgam Terrorist attack and paid condolence to Dr. Girija Vyas, who succumbing to the burn injuries, passed away on May 1, 2025. The condolence was paid as a respect to the departed soul and two-minute silence was observed.

Later, briefing reporters, senior Congress leaders including Shri Jairam Ramesh, Shri Bhupesh Baghel, Shri Sachin Pilot, Shri Charanjit Singh Channi and Shri Saptagiri Ulaka demanded time-bound action on the announcement.

Shri Sachin Pilot said that despite opposing the caste census, the BJP had eventually succumbed to public pressure and realised that it was the demand of the people of the country, which was duly articulated by Shri Rahul Gandhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Bhupesh Baghel described it as a victory for Rahul Gandhi. He said that he was not sure whether the government really wanted to carry out the caste census or only wanted to divert public attention.

He said that the caste census must be an elaborate and comprehensive exercise to find out the socio-economic condition of the people and should not be merely a “column” in the census data.

Shri Saptagiri Ulaka said that the Congress does not want the caste census to meet the same fate as the Women’s Reservation Bill or end up like other BJP ‘jumlas’ like 2 crore jobs every year.

On Pahalgam, the CWC reaffirms its earlier demand for time-bound accountability into the serious lapses in security and intelligence.