New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) On the birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday reiterated his party's commitment to social justice by presenting a five-point demand with a renewed call for a nationwide caste census. He said that the Congress Party would fight for these five demands from the streets to the Parliament. Addressing reporters, Kharge stressed the need for an updated general census to ensure the effective implementation of welfare schemes. "First of all, I want to say that a caste census is necessary. Right now, the Centre is making its plans based on the 2011 Census. The census to be held in 2021 is not known yet," Kharge said. He emphasised that it is vital to conduct a caste-based census along with the general one, as there is no clear data on the current status of various sections of society.

"After so many years, it is not known what the actual condition of different sections of society is today. How much progress they have made on the scale of social justice -- education, employment, housing, ownership of land, etc. is still unknown," Kharge said. He added that in order to implement schemes effectively, it is important to determine which segments of the population are most in need. Highlighting the delay in conducting a fresh census, the Congress chief said, "It is still unknown who is being benefited and at what pace, since there is no census being conducted by the government." Moving to his second demand, the Congress President alleged that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government scrapped the SC-ST Sub-Plan that had been introduced by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1976.

"In 1976, Indira Gandhi implemented the SC-ST Sub-Plan so that these communities get proper justice. Unfortunately, in 2015, PM Modi abolished it. He is not interested in all of this, not interested in following the ideals of Baba Saheb," Kharge claimed. He pointed out that Congress-led state governments in Karnataka and Telangana have legislated the Sub-Plan into action. "We demand from the BJP government that the central government should re-implement the SC-ST Sub-Plan," Kharge asserted. For his third demand, Kharge called for the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservations. "There is no state except Tamil Nadu where reservation is secured. We demand that the reservations of states be included in Schedule 9 so that the quotas can be secured by removing the ceiling of 50 per cent," he said.

The Congress chief's fourth demand centred around reservations in private educational institutions. Referring to the 2006 constitutional amendment under Article 15(5), which enabled reservation for SC, ST, and OBC categories in private colleges, Kharge said the Supreme Court had upheld this in 2014, yet the Centre has not enforced it. "Today, 55 per cent of higher education institutions are in private hands. How will our children study?" he asked. He accused the Union government of inaction, saying, "The Modi government is sleeping. I demand that this be made a legal right and implemented immediately. This will be the biggest tribute to Baba Saheb!" On his final demand, Kharge referred to the Women's Reservation Bill passed two years ago. "When the Women's Reservation Bill was passed, the Congress party demanded that the Act be implemented immediately, and at the same time, one-third reservation under it should be ensured for SC, ST, and OBC women," he stated. Concluding the demands, Kharge said, "The Congress Party will fight for these five demands from the streets to the Parliament," reinforcing the party's agenda rooted in the principles of equality, justice, and representation as envisioned by Dr Ambedkar.

/IANS