From the Urdu Press: ‘Caste census move historic… wrests key Opp plank’; ‘Rahul apology on anti-Sikh riots sets an example for others’

As tension between India and Pakistan soars in the wake of the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir, the Urdu dailies kept their focus on the conflict. Another issue that dominated their news and commentary pages was the Narendra Modi government’s surprise decision to include caste count in the forthcoming Census, with the dailies shining light on its ramifications for social equations, development and politics.

SIASAT
Highlighting the Modi government’s decision to include caste enumeration in the overdue population Census, the Hyderabad-based Siasat, in its May 3 editorial, notes that the Congress has been campaigning for a national caste census for the last few years. Congress-ruled states like Telangana and Karnataka have also conducted caste surveys, it adds, while the Congress was part of the Bihar government when it carried out a caste count. The editorial says Rahul Gandhi in particular had been spearheading the Congress’s campaign for a caste census, “pledging even during his Bharat Jodo Yatras that his party-ruled states would go for a caste count”.

The Revanth Reddy-led Congress government in Telangana has passed a legislation to provide 42% reservation for the backward classes (BCs) as per their population in the state, the edit notes. “In light of growing disquiet among the backward communities for equitable share in development and resources, Rahul has been making the pitch for ‘Jitni Aabadi Utna Haq’ (proportional representation), forcing the government to finally include caste in the Census process,” it says, adding that the timeframe of this entire exercise though is yet to be announced.