BJP Criticizes Congress Amid Historic Census Launch

Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP Member of Parliament and spokesperson, lashed out at the Congress party on Tuesday, accusing them of habitual negligence of significant issues. He highlighted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) remains committed to inclusive development.

In a press conference, Trivedi announced, 'Under PM Modi's leadership, the cabinet resolved to conduct both the population census and, for the first time, a comprehensive social, economic, and caste census.' He alleged that Congress has historically dismissed pressing matters like Operation Sadbhav and the CAA, while the NDA champions 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' or inclusive growth. The accusation extended to claims that Congress spreads misinformation about the caste census.

Trivedi criticized Congress's approach, citing their misuse of the Telangana survey as a false equivalence to a full census. He condemned their decades-long concentration of power within one family, asserting they failed to engender economic prosperity. Furthermore, he denounced the misleading narratives against the caste census and indicated the central government has sole authority over its notification, critiquing the Congress-led 'Khata Khat' strategy as an obstacle to national progress.

On Monday, the Centre announced the population census scheduled to begin in March 2027, as the Ministry of Home Affairs issued the notification revoking the previous one from 2018. It confirmed phased data collection, with specific dates set for different regions, emphasizing digital collection methods to enhance accuracy and security, marking the 16th census since the inception, and the 8th post-independence.

(With inputs from agencies.)