AIMIM Chief Owaisi Demands Immediate Start to Caste-Based Census, Condemns Pahalgam Killings
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday called for the immediate initiation of a caste-based census in India, stating it is vital for ensuring equitable distribution of benefits and accurate assessment of socio-economic disparities across communities.
Speaking to reporters at Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri in West Bengal, Owaisi underscored the urgency of resuming the caste-based census, which was last conducted in 1931. “I request the BJP-led NDA government to announce a clear timeline for when the caste-based census will begin and by when it will be completed. This exercise will show who is benefiting from government schemes and who is left behind. It will also reveal who owns land or a home, and the degree of progress different communities have made,” he said.
He emphasized that such data would also reflect the socio-economic condition of marginalized Muslim communities. “A caste census will help us understand the actual status of Muslims, particularly those who are socially backward. Even countries like the United States have adopted such practices to strengthen their democratic institutions,” Owaisi added.
Following his arrival from Delhi, Owaisi departed for Bihar by road. Before leaving, he also condemned the recent targeted killings of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, terming the incident a “heinous act of terrorism.”
“We were told the terrorists separated women and children, then asked the men about their religion and selectively killed them. It was a brutal and deliberate attack. If these terrorists are backed by Pakistan, the Union government must respond strongly, and we will support such actions,” said the Hyderabad MP.
On the domestic front, Owaisi reiterated his party’s opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling it “unconstitutional” and warning against any erosion of minority rights. However, he clarified that AIMIM does not support any form of violence during protests. His remarks come in the wake of recent communal unrest in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, where demonstrations against the Act had escalated into clashes.
“We oppose the Act on legal and constitutional grounds, but violence in the name of protest is unacceptable and not something we stand for,” Owaisi stated.
The AIMIM chief’s remarks reflect the party’s dual stance — pressing for greater social justice through policy measures like the caste census while maintaining a firm position on law, order, and national security.
