Attacking the government over the caste census issue, the Congress on Thursday said it is yet to come out with any details of how this enumeration will be done and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has every intention of delaying the exercise.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said today exactly a year ago, the Modi government had announced that caste enumeration of the entire population will be included in the upcoming Census.

However, he alleged that no dialogue has been conducted with Opposition parties or state governments, nor any consultation with experts on the subject. Even though the President of the Indian National Congress, Kharge wrote again to the Prime Minister on May 5, 2025, on the caste census issue, but the letter received no acknowledgment.

He also shared on X Kharge's letter to Modi in which the Congress president had said that conducting any exercise such as the caste census which gives the backward, the oppressed and the marginalised sections of our society their rights cannot and should not be considered divisive in any way.

"The Indian National Congress believes that conducting the caste census in the comprehensive manner is absolutely necessary to ensure social and economic justice and equality of status and opportunity as pledged in the Preamble of our Constitution," Kharge had said.

"I would request you to have a dialogue with all political parties soon on the issue of the caste census," he had said.

The Centre’s position on caste enumeration in the national census has seen a notable shift over the past few years, according to a chronology of statements and developments.

"On July 21 2021, the Home Minister had answered a question in the Lok Sabha asked by a BJP MP Smt Raksha Nikhil Khadse (now a Minister herself) and said that the Government of India had decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste-wise population," Ramesh said on X.

On July 21, 2021, the Home Minister told the Lok Sabha in response to a question by BJP MP Raksha Nikhil Khadse that the Government of India had decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste-wise population data in the Census, Ramesh pointed out.

"On April 28 2024, in a television interview to News18 Network, the prime minister attacked the Congress saying that its demand for a caste census was indicative of 'urban naxal' thought," he said.

The prime minister owes the leadership of the Congress an apology for his accusation, Ramesh said, adding that more importantly, he owes the people of India an explanation of why he allowed his mind to be contaminated by "urban naxal" thought when he announced a caste census on April 30, 2025.