New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has passed a resolution demanding the immediate implementation of clause 5 of Article 15 of the Indian constitution to enable reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Dalits, and Adivasis in private educational institutions. The resolution also said that updated caste data must be used to strengthen reservation policies.
The Congress party has chalked out an action plan, directing all Pradesh Congress committees to raise these demands in the Samvidhan Bachao Rallies, which are scheduled to be held across all states and will continue until May 30.
The CWC met on Friday and held detailed deliberations on the urgent and long-overdue issue of the caste census.
Clause 5 of Article 15, which discusses reservations in educational institutions, allows the state to make special provisions "for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in so far as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private educational institutions."
It further demanded that the caste census be conducted without delay, avoiding any pretext or bureaucratic evasion.
The demands made by Congress in its resolution further read as follows: "A transparent, time-bound process, including immediate Parliamentary debate and full budgetary allocation. A participatory and inclusive approach in designing the questionnaire, enumeration, classification, and data publication."
The Congress has also demanded that the government use updated caste data to review and strengthen policies on reservation, education, employment, and targeted welfare.
Earlier, in its resolution, the CWC said that the BJP-led central government has "conceded" the Indian National Congress' demand to collect population data caste-wise as part of the next census.
"This exercise must not be delayed. All political parties must be taken into full confidence. Parliament must immediately have a debate on this issue. The government must immediately allocate the necessary funds and announce a clear timeline for every stage of the census, from the preparation of the questionnaire and methodology to the actual enumeration, classification, and eventual publication of the data," the CWC resolution said.
The CWC further suggested that the central government emulate the caste census model followed by Telangana.
The government announced that caste enumeration would be included in the next census.
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