Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising concerns over the proposed method for recording caste information in the 2027 Census.

The Congress leaders have particularly objected to the absence of a separate OBC column in the caste-related questionnaire. They argued that the current system may not accurately reflect the size of India’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) population.

Sharing the letter on social media, Mr Kharge said that conducting a caste census was not enough and that it also needed to be carried out correctly.

The two leaders described the proposed method of recording caste information as “misleading” and outlined what they said were its potential shortcomings.

Rahul Gandhi, Kharge raise concerns over caste names

According to the letter, under the proposed approach, the caste name provided by an individual would be recorded as given.

Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge argued that the same caste can be known by different names, sub-castes and linguistic variations across different parts of India. They said this could result in members of the same caste being recorded under different names.

The Congress leaders contended that this could fragment a single caste across a very large number of entries and make the resulting data difficult to use effectively.

They have therefore demanded that the government withdraw the existing caste census questionnaire and prepare a new one after consultations with political parties, experts and the public.

Congress seeks OBC drop-down list

Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have suggested creating a drop-down list of castes to address the issue.

They said such a list could be prepared using existing government lists, including those for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, along with data from the Anthropological Survey of India.

The Congress leaders also attached caste lists used in surveys conducted in Telangana and Bihar, saying the same methodology had been used in those exercises.

Their key demand is for a separate drop-down list for the OBC category in the caste-related questionnaire.

What is the caste question in the 2027 Census?

The Centre released a list of 40 questions for the 2027 Census around two weeks ago.

The tenth question relates to caste. According to the information cited by the Congress leaders, a drop-down list has been provided for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, while an open-ended format has been adopted for other caste responses.

The Congress has demanded that a similar drop-down list be introduced for the OBC category.

Jairam Ramesh alleges Centre is delaying caste census

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, while releasing the letter at a press conference, alleged that the Centre did not have a genuine intention to conduct a caste census.

He described the current process as a “deception” and accused the government of deliberately attempting to put the caste census on the back burner. These are allegations made by the Congress and are presented as such.

The issue comes amid continued demands from the Congress for an accurate caste census.

A few days ago, Rahul Gandhi, while addressing an event organised by the Congress party’s OBC department, said that if the OBC community took to the streets like “Gen Z students”, the government would be forced to yield.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has added a new twist to his public image as he steps up outreach to Gen Z through the nationwide “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, who became known for wearing T-shirts during the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra, has recently been seen in brightly coloured shirts at several student-focused events.

The change marks a departure from the white T-shirts that became closely associated with his appearance during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, when he walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

From white T-shirts to colourful shirts

Rahul Gandhi wore white T-shirts during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, including during its winter leg. He subsequently continued to appear in T-shirts at party programmes and political events.

The style also became a subject of political criticism, with the BJP repeatedly targeting Gandhi over his choice of attire and describing him as “non-serious”.

Gandhi, however, continued with the T-shirt look and it was also adopted by some Congress leaders who had traditionally appeared in kurta-pyjamas.

His latest appearances have brought a more colourful wardrobe into focus.

Rahul Gandhi’s colourful appearances

Gandhi wore a blue shirt at the first “Chhatron Ki Goonj” event in Kota, where he addressed the issue of paper leaks.

In Dehradun, he was seen wearing a shirt instead of his usual T-shirt. At an event in Allahabad, he wore a pink shirt while interacting with students, drawing discussion on social media.

He later appeared in a yellow shirt at an event in Pune.

The Pune programme focused specifically on female students and working women, with Gandhi addressing issues related to women’s safety, freedom and rights.

Congress steps up Gen Z outreach

The “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme is part of Rahul Gandhi’s outreach to young people, with paper leaks and issues affecting students among the subjects being highlighted.

The Congress is also seeking to engage young women through programmes and interactions focused on issues concerning them.

Youth and women remain important voter groups in elections, and the Congress is increasingly focusing its outreach on Gen Z as it seeks to strengthen its connection with younger voters.

Gandhi’s colourful shirts have consequently become an additional talking point during his latest student and youth engagements.

DMK chief MK Stalin has announced a major overhaul of the party’s organisational structure, months after the party lost the Tamil Nadu assembly election.

Acknowledging the defeat, Stalin said the party must openly recognise its mistakes. He also pointed to the functioning of party office-bearers as one of the factors behind the electoral loss.

“Although there are several reasons for our defeat, the functioning of our party office-bearers is also one of them,” Stalin said, stressing that the party must acknowledge its shortcomings and ensure better performance at every level.

Stalin also described the DMK as a “specialist” in making comebacks and said the party would return stronger.

Age and term limits for party posts

Among the major changes announced by Stalin are age and tenure limits for party positions.

Stalin said the changes would involve a significant restructuring of the DMK’s administrative system, with priority being given to new faces. He said the measures were intended to make the party sustainable for the next 100 years and help restore the trust of young people and women.

Under the new rules, branch secretaries must be aged 45 or below and can hold the position for a maximum of two terms.

District secretaries, meanwhile, must be below 70 years of age and can serve for a maximum of three terms.

DMK to increase party districts from 77 to 110

The DMK executive committee has approved increasing the number of party districts from 77 to 110.

The expansion will be implemented as part of the party’s 16th organisational elections. Revenue districts will generally be reorganised so that each party district covers two assembly constituencies.

Where only one constituency remains after the reorganisation, it will be attached to another suitable party district within the same revenue district as a third constituency.

Stalin has been authorised to determine and announce the constituencies that will form the 110 party districts.

New branch structure planned in urban areas

The DMK will also introduce a new branch-level structure in urban areas, along with the post of branch secretary.

The new system will initially be implemented in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Salem. It may subsequently be extended to other corporations.

Once the new party districts are announced, district executive committees will have to meet and establish the union, city, area, town, ward and branch-level units within 15 days.

The organisational changes come as the DMK seeks to restructure its party machinery and prepare for its political comeback following its assembly election defeat.