Centre using demographic panel to subvert Census, fuel polarisation: Pinarayi

Kerala Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan has alleged that the Union government is attempting to subvert the official Census process and engineer communal polarisation through the recently-constituted high-level committee on demographic changes.

In a statement, Vijayan said the panel, set up by the Union Home Ministry under the “guise” of national security, is a “political move” aimed at undermining established Census mechanisms and creating divisions among people. He pointed to the June 13 meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where the committee’s functioning was reviewed.

‘Panel continuation of CAA, NRC’

According to Vijayan, the framework of the committee appears to draw from political narratives advanced by the RSS leadership, including Mohan Bhagwat. He argued that the panel must be seen as a continuation of earlier exercises such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and proposals for a National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

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The CPI(M) leader accused the Centre of deliberately delaying the decennial Census for political reasons, while simultaneously promoting what he described as a divisive agenda aligned with Sangh Parivar politics. “Instead of waiting for official Census data, selective studies targeting border districts and metro cities are being pushed to create fear and division among the people,” he said.

‘Voter verification done with citizenship scrutiny’

Vijayan also alleged that during the intensive revision of electoral rolls, attempts were made by the Centre and the Election Commission (EC) to combine voter verification with citizenship scrutiny. He claimed that, in a similar pattern, the new committee seeks to examine demographic changes based on religion in selected regions even before a formal Census is conducted.

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Worry among minorities

He said these developments have triggered concern among minority communities and warned that post-election scenarios in states like West Bengal and Assam have already seen recurring tensions in border areas.

Criticising the move as a violation of federal principles, Vijayan said the committee had been imposed without any consultation with state governments. He called on secular parties to oppose what he termed an RSS-driven agenda to reap electoral gains through divisive politics.

Recalling Kerala’s earlier stand, he noted that the previous LDF government had made it clear that the NPR would not be implemented in the state as part of the Census exercise. He urged the current UDF government in Kerala to maintain the same level of vigilance in light of the new developments.