*Darbhanga, Bihar – May 15, 2025:* Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during a public rally in Darbhanga, Bihar, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "pushed" into accepting the caste census because of increasing public pressure and fear of losing electoral turf.
"Actually, Modiji did not wish for a caste census. He opposed it for years. But now, witnessing the increasing voice of people — particularly of Bihar and other backward areas — he had no option. It's not a change of heart; it's fear," Rahul told the thousands that had come to hear him.The Congress has been vocally championing the caste census, calling it a tool for ensuring social justice and equitable policy-making. Rahul Gandhi’s statement comes just weeks after the BJP signaled openness to exploring the issue, marking a shift from its previous ambiguity.
The poor, the backward, the Dalits — they need to be counted, seen. How can you rule a nation if you don't even know the real composition of your people?" Rahul asked the crowd, appealing to them to vote in a government that "sees and serves all.
The rally also witnessed Rahul stress Congress's mooted "X-ray of inequality" — a description he used to refer to the caste census — as a necessary first step towards targeted schemes of development. "We are not seeking charity. We are demanding justice," he stated.At the same time, BJP leaders have insisted that the Prime Minister's stand is in the direction of "national interest," and accused the Congress of politicizing an sensitive subject.
But in Bihar — a state with a long history of Mandal politics — Rahul Gandhi’s message seemed to resonate. Young attendees waved party flags and shouted slogans in support of the census, calling it “a long-overdue truth.”As elections draw nearer, the caste census debate is set to become a major flashpoint, with parties vying to position themselves as the true champions of social equity.
