Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 30: n a major decision just ahead of the state Assembly elections in very caste-conscious Bihar later this year, the Union government on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration as part of the next census, the union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday.
He said the decision was taken at the meeting of the high-powered cabinet committee on political affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and was approved by the union cabinet meeting which followed the CCPA meeting.
“Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs has decided today that the caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming Census. This demonstrates that our government is committed to the values and interests of our society and the country, like in the past, when our government had introduced 10% reservations for economically weaker sections of society.”
Even as the Congress claimed credit for forcing the decision on the Modi government, Mr Vaishnaw strongly criticised the Congress-led opposition block the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties for using the caste census as a political tool.
“Congress governments have always opposed caste census. Caste was not included in all the census operations conducted since Independence. In 2010, then Prime Minister late Manmohan Singh ji had assured the Lok Sabha that the matter of caste census should be considered in the Cabinet. A Group of Ministers was formed to consider this subject. Most of the political parties had recommended caste census. Despite this, Congress government decided to conduct merely a survey of caste instead of a caste census. That survey is known as SECC,” Mr Vaishnaw said.
“It is well understood that Congress and its INDI Alliance partners have used caste census only as a political tool. As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the subject Census is listed at 69 in the Union list in the Seventh Schedule. According to Constitution of India, Census is a Union subject. Some States have conducted surveys to enumerate caste, some States have done this while some others have conducted such surveys purely from a political angle in a non-transparent way,” he added.
“Such surveys have created doubts in the society. Considering all these facts, and to ensure that our social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be transparently included in the Census instead of surveys. This will strengthen the social and economic structure of our society, while the nation continues to progress,” he added.
The announcement, which comes ahead of the Bihar assembly polls later this year, was on top of the opposition’s agenda that has been pushing the government to carry out a caste census.
The move was hailed by the allies of the National Democratic Alliance, as a step that would help in drafting “equitable and targeted” policies.
Incidentally, the BJP ally, the Janata Dal United (JDU), when it was leading the opposition’s Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar, had carried out the caste census in the state.
Referring to states carrying out caste-based enumeration, Mr Vaishnaw said the exercise should be carried out with “transparency.” “To ensure social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be transparently included the census instead of being part of surveys…this will strengthen the social and economic structure of society,” the minister said.
He lashed out at the opposition ruled states that have carried out surveys and said these have created confusion in society.
“Some states have done surveys from a purely political angle in a non-transparent way. Considering all these facts and to ensure that a social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be transparently included in the survey,” he said.
The union minister lashed out at the Congress party for failing to carry out caste census despite, a group of ministers advocating the same. “Caste census was not part of census since independence. A group of ministers was also constituted- yet Congress conducted a survey- the SECC,” he said.
He said, in 2010, the then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh had assured the matter of caste census would be considered and a group of ministers was constituted to consider this subject. “Most of the political parties had recommended caste census. The Government decided to conduct only a survey of caste instead of a caste census and that survey is known as SECC. The Congress alliance partners have used it as a political tool,” he said.
Welcoming the move, JDU working president Sanjay Jha in a post on X said, it was a historic decision which would help in making more effective plans for the welfare and upliftment of the deprived sections.
“In accordance with his policy of ‘Development with Justice’, the National President of Janata Dal United and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Bihar @NitishKumar ji has conducted the caste census in Bihar with complete transparency and has also made its results public. He clearly believes that it is necessary to have accurate data of various castes for the purpose of reducing socio-economic inequality and making accurate plans for the welfare of the targeted sections,” Mr Jha said.
The JDU has been at the forefront of the demand for a caste based enumeration. “History is a witness that caste-wise data was also recorded in the census conducted before independence in India. But, in the year 1951, the Congress government stopped it. The unavailability of caste-wise data was becoming a big obstacle in the way of accurately identifying the socially deprived sections and making more effective plans for them. In view of the demand being made by various political parties and social groups, the UPA government decided to conduct a survey of castes in the 2011 census, but, there were so many discrepancies in those data that it was not even made public,” Mr Jha said.
RLSP and the LJP, which are also part of the NDA and will jointly contest the Bihar polls also welcomed the move. Union minister and LJP (RV) chief Chirag Paswan said, a caste survey was a key demand of his party, which has now been accepted.
“In the last few years, many misconceptions were spread between me and the Central Government regarding the caste census.
Today’s decision is a clear answer to all these rumours…This step of the central government will bring a big change in the direction of inclusive development of the country.” he said in a post on X. Upendra Kushwaha of the RLSP said the decision taken unanimously “will prove to be a milestone in the direction of development of the oppressed and exploited society of the country.”
Earlier the Congress claimed credit for the centre deciding on the caste census in the upcoming population census, stating that it has long been a demand of the party.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “The timing is very interesting. We hope there is some sincerity behind the decision.” Mr Khera said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has consistently called for a caste census. “We cannot forget Rahul Gandhi’s famous words—‘Jaati janganna hoke rahegi’ (The caste census will happen). I will say the government is with Rahul Gandhi,” he added.
Congress leader Udit Raj also said, “The Modi government has been compelled to conduct a caste census. This is a victory for Congress. The Bahujan community thanks Rahul Gandhi ji, his persistent efforts have borne fruit. The BJP/RSS tried hard to stop it, but in the end, they had to yield.”
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy congratulated the central government for the move but credited Rahul Gandhi for his role. He wrote: “Based on the vision and direction of Shri @RahulGandhi Ji who first demanded a nation-wide Caste Census during his historic #BharatJodoYatra Telangana is the first State to conduct caste survey last year.”
INDIA partner the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav, also reflected on his long-standing advocacy for a caste-based census. “What we socialists thought about 30 years ago—reservation, caste census, equality, fraternity, secularism, etc.—others start following decades later. Those who called us casteist for demanding a caste-based census have received a fitting reply. There is still much left to do. We will keep making these Sanghis dance to our agenda,” Yadav stated.
