NEW DELHI: Stepping up pressure on the Union government to conduct the caste census as announced by the Union cabinet recently, the Congress asked its state units on Sunday to highlight the BJP’s resistance to ‘caste enumeration’ in the past and Rahul Gandhi’s consistent efforts in pushing for it.
In a circular, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal directed all state units to raise demands made in the CWC meeting last week, including carrying out the caste census without delay and implementation of Article 15(5), during the upcoming ‘Samvidhan Bachao Rallies’ scheduled to be held across all states and districts.
Venugopal also urged state units to convey the party’s historical and ongoing commitments at the grassroots level, including the leadership role played by Rahul Gandhi.
“In particular, the demand for the immediate implementation of Article 15(5) should be prominently highlighted,” he said. The article pertains to reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs in private educational institutions.
The party directed all PCCs that during the assembly-level ‘Save Constitution’ rallies and house-to-house campaigns scheduled till May 30, the state units must organise ‘chaupal meetings’ with active participation from social activists, civil society activists, teachers, lawyers, shopkeepers, self-help groups members, and Bahujan communities.
The circular called upon the state units to “expose the BJP’s anti-Bahujan ideology, its resistance to caste enumeration, and its efforts to suppress social justice”. It urged leaders to mobilise broad-based public support for the caste census and full implementation of Article 15(5).
“These efforts must reflect a unified communication strategy that brings clarity, conviction, and high visibility to our campaign for social justice. PCCs are requested to treat this campaign with top priority.”
