Govt Delaying Caste Census to Divert Attention: Sachin Pilot
The Congress party has been vocal about the importance of conducting a caste-based census in India, and one of its leaders, Sachin Pilot, has now accused the BJP government of delaying the process to divert attention from more pressing national issues. In a recent statement, Pilot claimed that the government’s delay in conducting the caste census is not driven by a desire for transparency, but rather by political convenience.
The caste-based census has been a contentious issue in India, with the BJP government initially rejecting demands for it to be conducted. However, after facing pressure from opposition parties, including the Congress, the government eventually agreed to conduct the census. But now, Pilot is accusing the government of dragging its feet on the process.
“The government had initially rejected the demand for a caste census, only to suddenly accept it after pressure from the Congress and Rahul Gandhi,” Pilot said in a statement. “But now, they are delaying it to divert attention from national issues like the Pahalgam terror attack and the suppression of unemployment data.”
The Pahalgam terror attack, which occurred in May, was a deadly ambush that targeted a group of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. The attack, which killed 10 people and injured many more, was widely condemned and sparked widespread outrage across the country. However, Pilot is suggesting that the government is using the caste census as a way to shift attention away from the attack and the government’s handling of it.
Similarly, Pilot is also critical of the government’s handling of unemployment data. The government has been accused of manipulating unemployment figures to make them appear lower than they actually are, and Pilot is suggesting that the delay in conducting the caste census is another example of the government’s lack of transparency.
“Transparency is not the government’s priority,” Pilot said. “Instead, they are using every trick in the book to divert attention from the real issues facing the country. The delay in conducting the caste census is just the latest example of this.”
The caste-based census is seen as an important tool for understanding the social and economic dynamics of India’s population. It would provide valuable data on the distribution of different castes and communities across the country, and could help to inform government policies aimed at reducing inequality and promoting social justice.
However, the census has also been criticized for its potential to be used as a political tool to further the interests of certain castes or communities. Pilot is suggesting that the government’s delay in conducting the census is a sign of its willingness to use the data for political purposes, rather than to promote transparency and accountability.
The BJP government has not commented on Pilot’s accusations, but the delay in conducting the census is likely to continue to be a contentious issue in the coming months. The government has promised to conduct the census by the end of 2024, but with the delay already exceeding several months, it remains to be seen whether that deadline will be met.
In any case, the controversy surrounding the caste census is likely to continue to be a major issue in Indian politics in the coming months. As the debate continues to rage, it is clear that the government’s handling of the census will be closely watched by opposition parties and civil society groups.
Source: https://x.com/search
