No clear strategy from govt on dealing with Pahalgam attack aftermath: Kharge at CWC meet

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the government had not come out with any clear strategy to deal with the situation arising out of the Pahalgam terror attack, even as he asserted that the entire opposition was with the Centre on the issue.

In his remarks at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the party's 24, Akbar Road office, Kharge also said the government had accepted the party's demand for a caste survey but the timing "surprised us".

He, however, raised doubts over the government's intentions and asked party leaders to remain alert to take the caste survey to a logical conclusion.

The Congress president credited former party chief Rahul Gandhi for the government's decision to conduct a caste survey, saying the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha had again proved that if "we raise the issues of the people with honesty, the government has to bow down".

Noting that the party had extended all possible support to the Centre in the fight against terrorism at the last CWC meeting, Kharge said no clear strategy had come from the government even several days after the Pahalgam attack.

Gandhi had met family members of Shubham Dwivedi in Kanpur and demanded that the government give martyr status and respect to the deceased, he noted.

"We will unitedly and strictly act against any challenge that comes in the way of the country's unity, integrity and prosperity. The entire opposition is with the government on this issue. We have given this message to the whole world," Kharge said.

He pointed out that, in the meantime, the Modi government decided to conduct a caste survey alongside the census exercise.

"For this, first of all, I congratulate Rahul ji who, by constantly raising the issue, forced the government to decide on the caste census. You turned it into a powerful campaign during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra … and social justice became the most important issue of the 18th Lok Sabha elections," Kharge said.

"Rahul ji has again proved that if we raise the issues of the people with honesty, the government has to bow down. From the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill to withdrawal of the three black farm laws, the caste census has now joined the series of developments in which a stubborn government has had to bow down once again," Kharge said.

The government on Wednesday announced that caste enumeration would 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".

Caste surveys have been completed in Congress-governed Telangana and Karnataka and the findings are being incorporated in framing government schemes, Kharge said.

"During the AICC session in Gujarat as well, we passed a resolution on April 9, reiterating our demand. We also demanded the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservation. The work of removing this ceiling will be done through a constitutional amendment," he added.

"The government accepted our years-old demand for a caste census but the time chosen surprised us … Many doubts have arisen in our minds due to the language and sentiment with which many things were said," he said, referring to the government's announcement.

"When I wrote to the prime minister on April 16, 2023, and demanded this, the government was completely against it. Then how did they have a change of heart suddenly? The government opposed our demand on every platform. It was called divisive and called an Urban Naxal (thought). Modi ji and RSS leaders criticised it in state election campaigns. Slogans like 'Batenge toh Katenge' were raised," he said.

Kharge urged party leaders to tell people the entire process of the 2011 caste survey that started during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 2 government ended on March 31, 2016.

"The government itself accepted this in response to a Rajya Sabha question in 2022. Then was it not stupidity to expect us to publish incomplete data in 2014?" he asked.

"We will say we are happy that they understood our point, albeit, late. There is an old saying, better late than never!" Kharge said.

In the 2024 elections, the Congress had talked about getting a comprehensive social, economic and caste survey conducted to know the population of all castes and communities, their socioeconomic condition, their share in the national wealth and their representation in institutions related to governance, he said and added, "It is our view that this will be an X-ray of society."

"We have consistently stood by this demand. As the main opposition party, we have constantly raised this demand during 'Save Constitution' campaigns. Rahul ji has constantly raised this demand in every speech of his inside and outside Parliament. All our colleagues took this matter forward. Therefore, I congratulate all of you for this," he said at the CWC meeting.

Asserting that the caste survey was not an issue of victory or defeat or politics for the party, he said the Congress had always fought against socioeconomic backwardness and poverty. "This remains a part of our political agenda."

"Two months before the caste census of 1931, Mahatma Gandhi wrote an editorial in YOUNG INDIA and said: 'Just as we get medical tests done from time to time to check our body, census is the most important test of any nation'. Gandhi ji had also said: 'The usefulness of the census is when the government uses the necessary information for welfare'," Kharge said.

He said the Congress also had to ensure that the caste survey was done in the right manner.

"Whatever results come out, they should also be implemented. Policies and laws should be made according to them," he said.

"The Modi government did not conduct the 2021 census and, even today, all government work is going on on the data of the 2011 census," he said.

The Modi government kept postponing the work of caste survey due to the "anti-reservation" thinking of the RSS, he claimed.

"But now, when the public started joining the Congress and allied parties on this issue, it was not possible for Modi ji to postpone it any longer," he said.

He added many questions still remained -- from the budget to the government's policy and intention.

"Therefore, we have to remain alert till it is taken to its conclusion," he said.

Kharge claimed that the government was engaged in misleading the people on the issue.

"Today, in Bihar, its big leaders are trying to give the credit for this to the BJP and Prime Minister Modi by holding press conferences in every district and are claiming the Congress itself was against the caste census. Therefore, we have to make our strategy. If necessary, we should take our allies along and hold a public meeting at the national level or state levels, whichever is appropriate, or hold press conferences across the country," he said.