New Delhi, April 17 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday addressed the Lok Sabha during discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill, clarifying the Union government's stance on the long-pending Census and the inclusion of caste-based enumeration in the upcoming exercise.
Responding to concerns raised by several members over the delay in conducting the Census, Union Home Minister Shah said the exercise, originally scheduled for 2021, had to be postponed due to the unprecedented outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Everyone is aware that the Census was to be held in 2021, but at that time, the country was grappling with the biggest pandemic of this century. It was not feasible to carry out such a massive exercise during that period," he added.
The Home Minister also noted that even after the pandemic subsided, the country required time to recover from its economic and social impact.
He said that when the process to initiate the Census resumed in 2024, several political parties raised demands for conducting a caste-based Census.
Union Minister Shah told the House that the Union government undertook extensive consultations with political parties, caste groups, social organisations, and state governments on the issue.
"After detailed discussions, it was decided in 2025 that the upcoming Census would include caste-based enumeration," he said.
Explaining the methodology, Union Minister Shah said that while the building enumeration phase during the tenure of Congress-led UPA government, no questions were asked about caste, religion, or other personal details.
"However, during the population enumeration stage, information such as education, date of birth, and religion is collected."
"Now, a column for caste will also be included when individuals are enumerated," the Union Home Minister said.
He emphasised that there should be no confusion regarding the process.
"I have studied the Census conducted under previous governments, including those led by the Congress, and the methodology remains consistent. The only addition now is the caste column during individual enumeration," he added.
Union Minister Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking a forward-looking decision on the issue.
"With foresight, the Prime Minister understood the importance of this matter, and the Cabinet has taken a clear decision," he said.
Taking a swipe at opposition parties, Union Minister Shah accused some opposition leaders of attempting to create confusion among the public.
"Earlier, they (Opposition) were demanding a caste Census. Now that the government has decided to implement it, they (Opposition) are not even welcoming the move. Their objective seems to be to spread confusion," he said.
Reiterating the Union government's position, Union Minister Amit Shah assured the House that the upcoming Census will be conducted with full clarity and transparency.
"There should be no confusion in the minds of the country's 1.4 billion people. The Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that the 2026 Census will be conducted with caste enumeration," he said.
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