As Rahul Gandhi and the Congress push for a nationwide caste census, Opposition MPs on the Parliamentary Committee for OBC Welfare are urging the panel to prioritize the issue. Some members of the ruling NDA have reportedly shown support for this demand.

The Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes held its initial meeting on Thursday. Ganesh Singh, BJP MP and committee chairperson, described it as an “introductory meeting” in a statement to The Indian Express. Details of the discussions remain confidential due to parliamentary privilege.

Opposition MPs present included Congress’s Manickam Tagore, TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee, and DMK’s TR Baalu. They are advocating for the inclusion of the caste census on the committee’s agenda for future discussions.

While the specific NDA members who support this demand have not been identified, the JD(U) has been vocal in favor of a caste census. Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar had initiated a caste-based survey in Bihar, with the results published last year.

At Thursday’s meeting, the JD(U) was represented by Giridhari Yadav, MP from Banka in Bihar. The Opposition MPs are also concerned that the upcoming Census, which was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, might start in September without addressing caste data.

In the Lok Sabha last month, Rahul Gandhi criticized BJP MP Anurag Thakur’s remarks, stating, “Anurag Thakurji insulted me, but I don’t seek an apology. We are determined to ensure the passage of the caste census in this House, despite any insults.”