Modi govt committed to social justice; decision on caste census historic: Amit Shah

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is committed to social justice and has taken a historic decision to carry out caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.

Hours after the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) took the significant decision, the home minister said the government has shown its strong commitment towards social equality and the rights of every section.

"In the CCPA meeting held today under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, a message of strong commitment towards social equality and rights of every section has been given by deciding to include caste census in the upcoming census," he wrote on X in Hindi.

Shah said the Congress and its allies opposed the caste census for decades while in power and played politics over it while in the opposition.

"This decision will empower all economically and socially backward classes, promote inclusion, and pave new paths for the progress of the deprived," he said.

Announcing the decision, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the caste enumeration will be included in the forthcoming census exercise in a "transparent" manner and slammed the opposition parties for using the caste survey as a "political tool".

Vaishnaw said the census comes under the purview of the Centre, but some states have done caste enumeration in the name of surveys "non-transparently" which has created doubts in the society.