‘Patently diabolical agenda’: Congress on demography panel ‘seeking religion-wise data’

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, shared a report in The Hindu which said the High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes had sought religion-wise data. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Congress on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) attacked the Modi government over the Home Ministry-led demography panel reportedly seeking religion-wise data for the past 15 years on birth and vehicle registrations, school enrolment and property transactions, alleging the committee has a "patently diabolical agenda."Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, shared a report in The Hindu which said the High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes had sought religion-wise data for the past 15 years on birth and vehicle registrations, school enrolment and property transactions, as well as district-wise details of religious structures and unusual increases in Aadhaar, voter ID and ration card registrations.The committee had also sought intelligence assessments and commission reports on religious conversions among Scheduled Tribe communities, and details of operational detention centres, among other information, according to the report.This panel has a patently diabolical agenda and has clearly articulated pre-conceived biases. Its report has already been prepared no doubt. https://t.co/0rBgqajKse— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 29, 2026In a post on X, Mr. Ramesh said the panel had a "patently diabolical agenda" and had clearly articulated pre-conceived biases. "Its report has already been prepared no doubt," he added.The report said State governments were unable to answer most of the queries posed by the committee, as government departments do not ordinarily maintain much of the information sought by the panel on a religion-wise basis. Published - September 29, 2026 11:59 am IST