Congress Working Committee meet to seek amendment to remove 50% cap on reservation

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addresses an event to regularise the service of ‘Pourakarmikas’, civic workers, under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike in in Bengaluru, on May 1, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Congress on Thursday (May 1, 2025) demanded that the Narendra Modi government should bring in a Constitutional amendment to remove the 50% cap on reservations, even as it targeted the Prime Minister for being “the master of giving headlines without deadline”.

A meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) has also been convened on Friday (May 2, 2025) to discuss the roadmap of the party’s social justice agenda after the announcement of a caste census. Apart from charting the future course of action, the party is likely to thank the leadership including Rahul Gandhi for “forcing the Modi government to announce caste census”.

The CWC, that had met on April 24 in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, is also expected to urge the government for strong action against Pakistan and according “martyr” status to the victims of the terror attack.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who addressed public meetings in Karnataka’s Hubballi and Bengaluru on social justice, claimed that the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have always opposed caste census.

“Since beginning, they [BJP-RSS] have been against reservation. They don’t have any right to talk that they have done it. We, all Opposition parties, pressurised and Rahul Gandhi took the lead in caste census. We have achieved and we are happy,” Mr. Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru.

Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office, Congress general secretary communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said questions arise about the U-turn made by the Modi government on the issue.

Mr. Ramesh pointed out that exactly a year ago, the Prime Minister had said that “those demanding the caste census in the country display urban-Naxals mindset”.

“Have the Prime Minister and Home Minister also become urban Naxals’ now since they have announced plans to carry out the caste census in the country?” he asked.

Questioning the timing of the announcement, Mr. Ramesh said the biggest issue before the country is the Pahalgam massacre and when the country was expecting a response against Pakistan, the government was indulging in “diversionary tactics” by announcing the caste census.

The Congress leader cited a December 2019 press release that said the Union Cabinet had allocated ₹8,254 crores to conduct the census in 2021. Right now, in the current Budget, the Census Commissioner, responsible for holding the Census, has been allocated a meagre ₹575 crores.

“So what kind of Census are they planning to get done in ₹575 crore. So what is the intention– is it just about giving a headline?,” the Congress leader asked, adding, “Headline without deadline makes no sense”.

Mr. Ramesh asserted that without removing the 50% cap, the results of the caste census would not be effective. “The government should bring in a Constitutional amendment in Parliament,” he added.

The principal Opposition party also put up posters outside the AICC headquarters as well as ran social media campaigns to thank Mr. Gandhi. In a post on X, senior leader Pawan Khera shared video clips of top BJP leaders including PM Modi, U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Giriraj Singh and BJP Anurag Thakur strongly opposing caste census.

“They resorted to all kinds of rumours and lies and insults to oppose @RahulGandhi’s demand of caste census. Now they are forced to eat crow,” Mr. Khera said with the hashtag #ThankYouRahulGandhi.