After the cruel and barbaric terrorist incident of Pahalgam, the Modi government has constantly shouted and miraculous to the opposition parties, not the opposition parties, but the entire country, by deciding to get a sudden caste census in a very complex and sensitive era. The larger this decision of the government, the more challenging. The Modi government’s preparation for caste census is pleasant and welcome. For some time, the demand for caste census was very loud. In some states, the BJP was also seen in favor of such census, but the central government’s attitude was not getting very clear on this. Now suddenly this decision was taken in a meeting of a high -level cabinet committee of political affairs under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Later, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told the media that caste calculations will also be included in the upcoming census. While this step will change the political and social equations of the country, it will prove to be a milestone in removing social inequalities and implementing the target policies for the upliftment of the disadvantaged communities.
The caste census was 1931 i.e. English power in unlike India. The census in India started in the British rule, in 1872, and every census held till 1931 was also recorded in information related to caste. After independence, when the census was first conducted in 1951, it was decided that now the figures related to caste will not be collected. In the census held in independent India, only the data related to Scheduled Castes and Tribes were published. In 2011, the Manmohan government made the caste -wise census, but it found so many complications and discrepancies that its figures were not made public. After this, some states conducted survey to count the castes, because the Center has the right to conduct a census only. Although the BJP supported the caste -based survey in Bihar, it was not outspoken about the caste census. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh definitely supported it. But now suddenly the BJP has seen caste census in its own interest because on the strength of its policies and schemes, the BJP has made the journey of power easier by mobilizing backward castes and Dalits.
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The caste census will have a widespread and far-reaching impact on Indian politics and social system. The Congress and some regional parties were busy demanding it. Rahul Gandhi was giving the most emphasis, while from Nehru to Narasimha Rao did not understand the need. It is certain that while the Congress and other opposition parties would like to take credit for the decision to conduct caste census, the BJP will call it its initiative focused on social justice and equivalent society-building. Whether caste -based census will become helpful in social justice, but this will open new doors of casteist politics and the issue of reservation will once again become the axis of politics. The Congress and opposition parties raised this demand from their narrow and selfish political perspective so that the issue of reservation can be heated on this basis and electoral benefits can be taken by caste mobilization. But the BJP-government has announced the caste census and took this issue in its shift. Even after its figures, how the BJP will deal with the demand for reservation in proportion to the population, this big challenge is in front of it. Anyway, there is a dispute about it in the states where such initiatives have taken place. Such disputes will become a new challenge for the BJP. Caste-based census will reveal new corners of Indian society. But the supporters of the caste census believe that it can be a revolutionary step towards social justice and inclusive development. In the census, the number of Dalits and tribals is counted and they have got political reservation, but how many people of backward and extremely backward (OBC and EBC) castes are in the country are not counted. Census is a very big exercise and if caste calculations are also being included in it, then work will have to be done with more care and caution. There are thousands of castes and thousands of sub-castes. The country will have to use its digital power to count everyone separately.
Surely new political and policy situations will cause problems. Now all castes will be counted. It should also be counted among Muslims, Christians and other communities, because whatever the claim should be made, there is a distinction everywhere on the basis of caste and it. Even more essential, but compulsory is that caste census should not become a weapon of casteism politics and it should not be divided into Indian society. There should be some concrete measures to remove this idea that caste -based census should not be the cause of ethnic division. This is expected because it is not hidden from anyone that many political parties openly do caste politics. It is believed that 52 percent of the country’s population belong to backward and extremely backward castes. OBC community leaders believe that their political stake is quite low. Political parties are supporting caste census to gain support for these communities.
Caste census in India stopped after independence, but now its need for social justice, policy reform and political representation is felt. This step done with transparency and caution can become the basis of inclusive development. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has indicated to support the caste -based census from the point of view of an equitable society building. The Sangh’s All India Publicity Head Sunil Ambekar said that it is a sensitive matter and should be used not for political or electoral purposes but for the welfare of the backward community and castes. The fear of the backward and extremely backward castes in politics and bureaucracy due to the presence of caste census figures, this fear was probably persecuting the BJP. But this fear of the BJP has either ended, or it has taken this step to take electoral benefits in the assembly elections to be held in Bihar later this year. The BJP was against this, it had described the caste census as an attempt to divide the country. But most of the BJP’s associate parties in the NDA are in its favor.
Caste census figures will come in the end of 2026 or 2027 and by then elections will be held in Bihar and UP. Therefore, it is not right to take its election advantage. Anyway, the BJP has succeeded in connecting backward and Dalits community in recent years. The BJP also wants to show with this caste calculation that except for the one-half community of the backward, a large part of the OBC community is with it. By the way, different political parties are not only known to lead such and such castes, but also make such claims. Therefore, if there is a benefit of caste -based census, then there is also loss. Nothing better than that caste census helps in the upliftment of the underprivileged and backwards, but if it emphasizes division and affects the solidarity of the country, then it will not be unfortunate. The census figures should be open and transparent to the government and the public, so that new and equal directions of social relations, economic opportunities and political mobility can be revealed and a wide positive picture of the diversity of Indian society can be presented. Any figure is commendable only when it helps to accelerate development, strengthens the structure of an equal and balanced society.
– Fine Garg
Writer, journalist, columnist