Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat says Congress cannot conduct caste census in Rajasthan, explains why

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat on Tuesday responded Congress’s poll promise of carrying out caste census if voted to power in Rajasthan.

Sekhawat claimed that such a census cannot be done as it is it is not in the purview of a state government. He also accused the Ashok Gehlot government of “dividing the nation”. Follow full coverage of the Rajasthan Assembly elections.

“They can never do (caste census) because it is not in the purview of the state government. As per the constitution, the Centre is subject and only the central Government can do it,” the minister of Jal Shakti said, according to ANI. “Their party (Congress) has always divided the nation and they are trying to do it once again…”

Earlier today, the Congress promised a caste census in its Rajasthan election manifesto if it returns to power in the state.

“To formulate policies based on the spirit of equal social welfare for all sections of the society, we will conduct caste-based census,” the party said in the manifesto.

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The party also promised reservation to minorities on basis of their population after the caste census.

The manifesto was released by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, chairman of the manifesto committee CP Joshi and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot at the party office in Jaipur.

The party also promised to double the amount for beneficiaries under the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance scheme from ₹25 lakh to ₹50 lakh annually.

Rajasthan will go to the assembly election on November 25 and the counting of votes will be held on December 3.

In 2013, the BJP won 163 seats in the 2013 legislative assembly elections and formed the government under Vasundhara Raje.

In the next assembly elections in 2018, the Congress won 100 seats, while the BJP won 73 seats in the 200-member House. Gehlot eventually took the oath as CM with the support of BSP MLAs and Independents.

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