After the failure of all its attempts to deny and delay the much-needed caste enumeration, the Union BJP Government has finally announced that it...
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin welcomed the Union government's caste enumeration concession, calling it a historic victory for DMK's persistent legislative advocacy.
M.K.Stalin@mkstalinOriginal post
After the failure of all its attempts to deny and delay the much-needed caste enumeration, the Union BJP Government has finally announced that it will be conducted along with the forthcoming Census. But key questions remain unanswered —when will the Census begin? When will it conclude?
The timing is no coincidence. With #SocialJustice dominating the #BiharElections narrative, this sudden move reeks of political expediency. The same Prime Minister who once accused opposition parties of dividing people on caste has now yielded to the very demand, he maligned repeatedly.
Caste Census is essential—not optional—for objective policymaking, targeted welfare, and the pursuit of real social justice. You cannot remedy injustice without first recognising its scale.
For the Tamil Nadu Government and DMK, this is a hard-earned victory. We were the first to adopt a resolution in the Legislative Assembly demanding #CasteCensus. We championed this cause in every forum. We reiterated this demand in every meeting with the Prime Minister and through multiple letters, consistently urging the Union Government to take responsibility.
While others called for state-level caste surveys, we stood firm: Census is a Union subject. Only the Union Government can and should deliver a legally binding caste enumeration under the Census Act. Our stand is now vindicated.
Another triumph for DMK and #INDIA Bloc in our arduous social justice journey, driven by the ideals of the #DravidianModel.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin welcomed the Union government's announcement that a caste enumeration will be incorporated into the upcoming national census, characterizing the concession as a monumental triumph for the Dravidian social justice movement. Stalin pointed out that the Union government resisted this essential demand for years before political dynamics compelled an overdue reversal. However, he raised critical questions regarding the operational schedule, asking the Union leadership to clarify the exact starting date and projected conclusion of the enumeration.
The Chief Minister asserted that comprehensive caste data is an indispensable prerequisite for objective policymaking, targeted social welfare distribution, and equitable affirmative action. He recalled that Tamil Nadu was the first state whose Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution demanding a nationwide caste census. Through persistent memoranda, legislative resolutions, and direct appeals during meetings with the Prime Minister, the DMK and the INDIA bloc consistently argued that only a Union-conducted census possesses statutory authority.
Stalin affirmed that this hard-earned victory vindicates the principled stand of the Dravidian movement. He promised that Tamil Nadu will vigilantly monitor the process until an exhaustive census is executed across India.