Kolkata, June 16 -- Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar welcomed the decision to issue a gazette notification for the 16th Census with caste enumeration, and said that it will help the government in planning for the future.

Sukanta Majumdar said, "We welcome this decision. It was pending since long time. Census will start from March 1, 2027. It will help the government in planning for the future after getting the data of the census."

He alleged that CM Mamata Banerjee created an OBC-A category and gave reservation to Muslims.

"It is not a reservation on the basis of caste. It is a reservation based on religion. You cannot give a reservation on the basis of being Muslim because it is anti-Constitutional. So from back door Muslim reservation...