Congress Calls for Fresh Karnataka Caste Census Amid Political Tensions

The Congress leadership announced on Tuesday its decision to conduct a new caste census in Karnataka, aiming to address concerns from communities left out of the last survey conducted ten years prior. This move arises from a high-level party meeting, underscoring the importance of the caste survey as a state issue.

Key figures in the meeting, including Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, discussed the necessity of the re-enumeration process. AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal highlighted outdated data from the previous census and urged the state government to complete the new count within 60-80 days.

Amid political tensions, the meeting also reviewed the tragic Bengaluru stampede incident, which claimed 11 lives. While the Karnataka government launched a judicial inquiry, the Congress government faces opposition criticism and calls for accountability, along with discontent over inadequate central plan allocations.

(With inputs from agencies.)