Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 1 (ANI): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has slammed the opposition, saying there's a 'race' among the opposition to take credit for the Cabinet's decision to hold the caste census.

He further questioned Rahul Gandhi over why the caste census has never been conducted under Congress governments since independence.

'There's a race between Congress and INDI-Alliance parties to take credit for it (Union Cabinet's decision on caste census). I want to ask Rahul Gandhi ji why the caste census never happened under the Congress government,' Chouhan said on Wednesday evening.

He claimed that the country's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru was not a 'supporter of reservation on the basis of caste.' He added Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh also did not work in its favour.

'First PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji had written in a letter to CMs that he is not the supporter of reservation on the basis of caste. He always opposed caste and caste census. Congress has always oppossed the caste census. In 1980, when the Mandal Commision came, Indira Gandhi opposed it. Manmohan Singh had assured that he would discuss the caste census, but it never happened,' the Union Agriculture Minister said.

'To spread lies and confusion is in Congress' DNA. Now he (Rahul Gandhi) is jumping to take credit, but first he will have to answer why Congress didn't do a caste census,' Chouhan added. He assured the public that the census would be conducted in a transparent manner and would benefit every section.

'Caste census will be transparent. It will be done by considering the benefits of each section. On the basis of the right information, the schemes for the welfare of each section will be formed,' he said.

Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi extended party support for the government's decision to conduct caste enumeration during the forthcoming population census, but asked the BJP to specify a timeline.

Addressing a press conference here, Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said Telangana has provided a model for conducting caste census, and it can provide a blueprint for the exercise at the national level.

He said the Congress has been demanding a caste census and the government had 'suddenly after 11 years' taken this decision.

'We had said in the Parliament that we will make the Caste Census happen. We had also said that we would scrap the 50% cap, the artificial wall that is in place. Narendra Modi used to say that there are just four castes. Don't know what happened, but suddenly after 11 years, Caste Census has been announced,' Rahul Gandhi said.

'We completely support it but we want a timeline. We want to know that by when this will happen. This is the first step. Telangana has become a model in Caste Census and it can become a blueprint. We offer our support to the government in designing the Caste Census...There are two examples - Bihar's and Telangana's and there is a vast difference between the two,' he added.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated at a media briefing following the cabinet meeting that the decision demonstrates the present government's commitment to the holistic interests and values of the nation and society. (ANI)