Politics · India Bureau
Kerala Opposition Chief Attacks 2027 Census Religion Questions
Pinarayi Vijayan, leader of Kerala's opposition, has criticized proposed census questionnaires that seek information about parents' religion and place of birth, arguing such provisions risk linking religious identity to citizenship.
LSN India ·
The Kerala opposition leader has mounted a strong challenge to the methodology of the 2027 Census, taking particular issue with questions designed to gather information about respondents' parents' religious affiliation and birthplace.
Vijayan contended that any policy framework connecting religion with citizenship eligibility is fundamentally unacceptable. He characterized such census provisions as potentially problematic for the country's secular framework and inclusive citizenship principles.
The opposition leader's criticism extends to the United Democratic Front government currently in power in Kerala, which he accused of remaining silent on the contentious issue. Vijayan suggested this silence represents a failure to adequately address concerns about the census design among Kerala's citizens.
The remarks highlight ongoing tensions over the demographic survey's scope and the implications of collecting religious identity data alongside citizenship-related questions. Census methodology has become an increasingly scrutinized aspect of India's demographic planning, with different political groups questioning how such information might be utilized by government authorities.
The 2027 Census represents the first major demographic survey since 2011 and has already drawn scrutiny from various quarters over its proposed structure and the categories of information to be collected from India's population.