New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday (April 6) wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging that a dialogue be conducted between all political parties on the conduct of the nationwide caste census. While the union cabinet last week announced that caste enumeration data will be included in the next population census, – in a sharp reversal from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s stance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections – it did not provide any timeline for its implementation.In his letter, Kharge said that he had previously written to Modi on April 16, 2023 “putting forward the Indian National Congress’s demand for an up-to-date caste census.”“Regrettably, I never received any reply to this letter. Unfortunately, your party leaders and yourself went on to attack the INC and its leadership for raising this legitimate demand which you today acknowledge is in the interests of deeper social justice and empowerment. You have now announced, without providing any details, that the next Census (that was actually due in 2021) will include caste as a separate category as well,” he said.Three suggestions on conducting caste censusKharge provided three suggestions to the Prime Minister on how the caste census should be conducted. Stating that the design of the census questionnaire is crucial, Kharge said that the union ministry of home affairs must “draw upon the Telangana model – both the methodology adopted for finalising the questionnaire, as well the final set of questions asked.”Earlier leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi had also said that the Telangana survey can serve as a blueprint for the nationwide caste census.Kharge also reiterated the Congress’s demand that irrespective of the results of the caste census, the 50% ceiling on reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs must be removed by a Constitutional amendment. He also pressed for the Congress’ demand that Article 15(5) that provides reservations in private educational institutions be implemented.“The Indian National Congress believes that conducting the caste census in the comprehensive manner suggested above is absolutely necessary to ensure social and economic justice and equality of status and opportunity as pledged in the Preamble of our Constitution. I trust my suggestions will receive your serious consideration. In fact, I would request you to have a dialogue with all political parties soon on the issue of the caste census,” he said.