The Congress party on Friday lashed out at the Modi government, accusing it of following a “predictable pattern” of first opposing progressive policies, defaming them, and ultimately adopting them under public pressure — a charge made in response to the Centre’s announcement to include caste enumeration in the next population census.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh, in a sharp post on X (formerly Twitter), described the decision as a “milestone in the fight for social justice”, crediting the “unwavering fight” of Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party, and numerous social activists for forcing the government’s hand.
“The Modi government, which tried to suppress the caste census for years, has finally succumbed to the relentless struggle of Rahul Gandhi, Congress, and social organizations,” Ramesh declared.
He alleged that the BJP-led government excels only at “diverting attention, running from real issues, and advancing a divisive agenda,” while lacking “policy or intention—only lies, propaganda, and hatred.”
🔍 ‘Master of U-turns’
Ramesh said the caste census is just the latest example of the BJP’s pattern of opposing, ridiculing, and eventually adopting policies originally championed by Congress.
He recalled Prime Minister Modi’s earlier criticism of schemes like MGNREGA, calling it a “monument of failure” in Parliament, only to later increase its budget during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Today, the same MGNREGA became the backbone of India’s poor. And the government tried to take credit for it,” Ramesh noted.
Similarly, he pointed to Aadhaar, GST, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)—initiatives pioneered by the Congress but initially dismissed by BJP as flawed or ineffective, before being embraced and expanded by the same government.
“This list doesn’t end here. The BJP has neither vision nor direction. Only politics of deceit,” Ramesh asserted.
He also targeted the government’s cash assistance schemes for women, saying BJP once dismissed such promises as “mere politics of announcements,” but now runs similar programs under different names.
🗣️ A Headline Without a Deadline?
On Thursday, Congress had accused PM Modi of being a “master of giving a headline without a deadline”, alleging the announcement was a “diversionary tactic” amid calls for strong action following the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Where’s the deadline for the caste census?” Ramesh asked, questioning the Centre’s intent.
The government on Friday formally announced that caste enumeration will be part of India’s next decadal population census, marking the first such inclusion since Independence.
➡️ Congress, however, maintained skepticism, warning that without a clear timeline and genuine political will, the announcement risks becoming yet another unfulfilled promise.
