NEW DELHI: The Congress Working Committee on Monday passed a resolution stating that a caste census is necessary to ensure social justice for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs in the country. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that if the party comes to power at the Centre, it would immediately implement the caste-based census to ensure the liberation of the poor. Through legislation, the 50 percent limit should be removed to ensure reservation in line with the proportional share of the population. The resolution welcomed the caste census conducted in Bihar.

Inequality between representation and share in the population is an obstacle to social justice. It cannot be implemented without detailed information about the socio-economic status of various communities. Either the 2011 socio-economic and caste census data should be released or a new caste census should be conducted. The Modi government cheated OBCs and other disadvantaged groups by not doing that, the Congress said.

"Caste Census is the necessary 'X-ray' for the new model and development of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot conduct a caste census. 3 out of 4 Congress Chief Ministers are OBCs. Only one out of 10 BJP chief ministers is an OBC. He will be out soon. Modi is trying to mislead the OBC community by alleging that the demand for a caste census is an attempt to divide the people. Most of the parties in the INDIA alliance have a favourable stand towards caste census. Even though some parties oppose it, we are not fascists and will not force anyone. We will go ahead with the steps to conduct caste census in Congress-ruled states," Rahul Gandhi said.

"Backward classes can be uplifted in the society only after getting the true figures of all the backward classes in Kerala. For that, a caste census is essential," Ramesh Chennithala said.