Terming the notification on the 16th census as a “damp squib”, the Congress on Monday said it is silent on the inclusion of caste in the exercise and asked whether this is another “U-turn” by the government.The opposition party also asserted that the Centre must adopt the Telangana model for not just caste enumeration but also in bringing out detailed data on socio-economic parameters caste-wise.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the much-touted gazette notification on the 16th census to be conducted in late 2026/early 2027 has just been issued and is a “damp squib”.
“It is quite a damp squib and merely repeats what had already been announced on April 30, 2025,” Ramesh said on X.
He further said that it is entirely because of the persistence and insistence of the Congress that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “surrendered” to the demand for a caste census.
“He (Modi) had called Congress leaders as urban Naxals for making this demand. Both in Parliament and in the Supreme Court, the Modi Government had rejected the very idea of a caste census – which it announced 47 days back,” Ramesh said.
“Today’s Gazette Notification is, however, SILENT on the inclusion of caste in the 16th Census. Is this yet another U-turn by the ustad of U-turns? Or will details be announced later?” he said.