AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami has welcomed the Union Government’s announcement to conduct a caste-based census alongside the upcoming national population census. He hailed the decision as a long-awaited move that addresses the enduring demand of the people of Tamil Nadu.In a social media statement, Palaniswami said, “The people of Tamil Nadu have for many years been urging the Central Government to undertake a caste census. I wholeheartedly welcome the Centre’s decision to finally move forward with this important initiative.”
He further pointed out that the AIADMK government, during its tenure, had initiated efforts to carry out a caste census in Tamil Nadu. “Our government took all necessary steps to implement a caste census. However, after the DMK came to power, those plans were unfortunately dropped,” he added.
Expressing gratitude to the Centre, Palaniswami congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking this significant step after nearly 93 years. He also extended his thanks to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Union Cabinet for their dedicated efforts in bringing the caste census to fruition.
Calling it a major step toward addressing social equity and understanding the country’s social fabric more comprehensively, Palaniswami emphasized that the AIADMK remains committed to upholding the interests of all communities through data-driven governance.