Ahmedabad, Gujarat : Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot addressed a press conference in Ahmedabad on Saturday, putting the spotlight on the issue of caste census and raising questions over the methodology being followed for collecting caste-related data.

Gehlot has consistently maintained that a caste census is essential for understanding the country’s social and economic structure and for ensuring that welfare policies and political representation are based on reliable demographic data. According to him, merely collecting caste-related information is not enough; the process must also ensure that the data is accurate, comprehensive and capable of being scientifically analysed.

The Congress has been making caste census a major component of its social justice agenda. The party argues that without knowing the actual population of different caste groups, it is difficult to properly assess their representation in education, employment, government schemes and political institutions.

One of Gehlot’s major concerns relates to the manner in which caste names are recorded. India has a complex system of castes, sub-castes and region-specific identities. The same community can sometimes be known by different names in different parts of the country. Gehlot has therefore questioned whether an open-ended system of entering caste names could result in multiple entries for the same social group, creating difficulties in compiling and analysing the final data.

The experience of the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census has also remained an important reference point in this debate. The exercise reportedly generated a very large number of caste names, creating difficulties in classification and consolidation. The Congress is now arguing that such problems should be addressed before the next caste enumeration is undertaken.

Gehlot has stressed that caste data should ultimately serve a larger purpose. In his view, the objective should not simply be to establish how many people belong to a particular caste, but to understand their socio-economic conditions and determine whether different communities are receiving adequate opportunities and representation.

The issue assumes particular political significance in Gujarat, which is scheduled to go to Assembly elections in 2027. Gujarat’s electoral politics has historically been influenced by caste and community equations, making the question of demographic representation particularly relevant as political parties prepare for the next Assembly contest.

For the Congress, the caste census issue provides an opportunity to connect the questions of representation, reservation, welfare schemes and social justice. The party has repeatedly argued that government policies should be formulated on the basis of current and reliable demographic information rather than assumptions or outdated figures.

The Congress leadership has also been demanding greater clarity and transparency in the methodology of caste enumeration. Party leaders have argued that the process should be designed in a manner that prevents duplication, confusion over caste names and inconsistencies between states and regions.

Gehlot’s Ahmedabad press conference therefore goes beyond a technical discussion about census methodology. It reflects a larger political debate over who gets representation, how government resources are distributed and whether existing welfare and affirmative-action policies adequately reflect India’s changing social composition.

The BJP and the central government, meanwhile, face the challenge of responding to these concerns while explaining how caste-related data will be collected, classified and eventually used for policymaking.

With the 2027 Gujarat Assembly election approaching, the caste census debate could acquire an increasingly significant political dimension in the state. The Congress is likely to use the issue to reach out to different social groups and frame the upcoming electoral contest around representation and social justice.

Gehlot’s central message from Ahmedabad was that accurate caste data is not merely a statistical exercise, it can become an important foundation for social justice, equal opportunity and effective policymaking.

As the country moves towards the next census exercise, the debate over methodology, classification and the eventual use of caste data is expected to remain an important issue in national politics as well as in Gujarat’s electoral landscape.

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)