'Who Is RSS To Give Permission': Congress Slams Hindutva Org Over Remarks On Caste Census

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Monday had extended its support to the caste census, saying that the government should conduct it for data purposes. However, it posed a condition and said that the results should be used for "welfare" needs of the citizens and not for "electoral purposes".

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh reacted to the remarks and raised some questions over "RSS' didactic talk".

Ramesh asked whether the organisation has a veto power on caste census and asked to who the RSS was to give permission for caste census.

"What does the RSS mean when it says caste census should not be misused for election campaigning? Is it to be a judge or an umpire?" he posed questions in Hindi in his X post.

He asked as to why the RSS was mysteriously silent over the need for a Constitutional amendment to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations for Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs.

"Now that the RSS has given the green signal, will the non-biological Prime Minister hijack another guarantee of the Congress and conduct a caste census?" Ramesh asked.

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, on the other hand, said that the RSS should clearly tell the country whether it is in favour of caste census or against it.

"Is the Sangh Parivar, which is in favour of Manusmriti instead of the Constitution of the country, concerned about the participation of Dalits, tribals, backward classes and the poor and deprived sections of the section or not?" Kharge asked.

RSS chief spokesperson Sunil Ambedkar on Monday said that the Centre should get the caste census done for data purposes.

"Caste reactions are a sensitive issue in our society, and they are important for national integration. However, the caste census should not be used for election campaigning and electoral purposes," he further said.

Notably, caste census has been a talking point across the nation and has been promoted by the grand old Congress party throughout the campaigns for the Lok Sabha elections.

Recently, NDA ally and Union Minister Chirag Paswan also spoke about the need for a caste census in India.