NEW DELHI: Congress on Thursday demanded that the government release the caste census of backward communities, aligning with Mandal outfits and positioning itself for the debate on sub-categorisation of OBCs that the Centre has ordered.

Party MP and Congress OBC cell chairman Tamradhwaj Sahu said, “The caste census was done under the Congress government. That report should be implemented.”

It is the first demand from Congress for publication of the rural household survey known as Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC), which was ordered by the UPA government following pressure from Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad.

The Congress’s stance clubs it with Mandal outfits which have lately renewed the call that SECC be made public. RJD MP Jai Prakash Yadav demanded it in Lok Sabha during the debate on the bill to grant constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes. RJD MP Manoj Jha moved a notice to this effect in Rajya Sabha this week.

The anti-BJP parties appear to be gearing themselves for sub-categorisation of the backward list, a top project of the Modi government aimed at winning over the weaker backward communities — who form a big chunk of OBCs — that stand to benefit from the exercise. It will hurt parties with OBC support base.

