NDA Targets Congress Over Caste Census, Lauds Modi’s Pro-Poor Initiatives in Chief Ministers’ Meet

With the government formally announcing caste enumeration as part of the next national census, a resolution passed at the NDA Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers’ meeting on Sunday condemned the Opposition’s “cheap politics” over the issue and sharply criticised the Congress for its historical record on social justice.

Claiming the mantle of social justice, the resolution declared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name would be “etched in golden letters” for advancing the vision of icons like Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, and Karpoori Thakur. It also highlighted key achievements of the NDA government over the past 11 years, including lifting 15 crore people out of poverty and enhancing the dignity of those marginalised by caste discrimination.

The resolution on the caste census, moved by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and seconded by Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, congratulated PM Modi for the move. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister reiterated that caste census would deliver justice to marginalised groups across communities.

Sharp Attack on Congress

Taking aim at the Opposition, the resolution stated, “We are dismayed by the cheap politics of the Opposition. Despite governing the nation for decades, they did nothing on this issue.”

The Congress, it alleged, defeated Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar twice, denied him the Bharat Ratna, delayed and opposed the Mandal Commission, resisted the formation of the OBC Commission, and advocated faith-based reservations contrary to Ambedkar’s Constitution.

It also criticised the UPA government’s handling of the 2011 census, claiming it “deliberately avoided a scientifically conducted enumeration of castes” and carried out a flawed, secretive exercise outside the Census of India Act for political ends.

Operational Updates and State Models Shared

PM Modi, in a post on X, said the meeting included extensive discussions on governance models, including best practices in water conservation, education, grievance redressal, women empowerment, sports, and more.

BJP president J.P. Nadda highlighted that the caste census had long been an NDA priority, recalling that the first resolution in its favour came from Bihar under CM Nitish Kumar.

The meeting also reviewed the ongoing anti-Maoist campaign, with Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai presenting the Bastar Model as a governance template for conflict-hit regions. Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma detailed the rehabilitation of Maoist-affected areas.

Other presentations included:

• Gujarat’s Har Ghar Surya Yojana by CM Bhupendra Patel
• Meghalaya’s CM Connect programme by CM Conrad Sangma
• Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s booklet on the Kumbh Mela’s success
• Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami’s update on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

Opposition’s Reaction

Days after the government’s April 30 announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had claimed the caste census move was a response to public pressure, citing the Telangana model as the proper approach. He also accused the Modi government and Bihar government of failing to implement quota laws in private institutions.