Caste Census in India: In a significant move, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday that the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census. This decision marks a major policy shift, as caste data has not been collected since the 2011 census, and no national census has been conducted since then. Vaishnaw emphasised that caste census falls under the Union government’s jurisdiction, and parallel surveys conducted by states often lead to confusion and discrepancies. This centralisation aims to ensure uniformity in data collection.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that caste census will social equality and rights of every section. “The Modi government, committed to social justice, has taken a historic decision today. In the CCPA meeting held today under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, a message of strong commitment towards social equality and rights of every section has been given by deciding to include caste census in the forthcoming census,” read Amit Shah’s post on X.
RJD says Centre’s move is a ‘victory’ for 30-year-old demand
The Union cabinet’s decision to include caste enumeration in the national census has been hailed as a victory by opposition leaders, particularly those from the RJD and socialist factions. Former Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav expressed that this was a “victory” for his party and its long-standing demand for a caste census. He stressed that this was a 30-year-old demand, which had previously been denied by the central government.
Yadav also pointed out that the RJD had successfully conducted a caste survey in Bihar, which revealed that increasing the reservation to 65 per cent was necessary. He urged the government to conduct the caste census before any delimitation process, ensuring that adequate representation for OBCs, SCs, STs, and Adivasis in parliament and state assemblies is guaranteed.
Congress and other parties welcome caste census
Congress leader Udit Raj welcomed the cabinet’s approval of the caste census, calling it a victory for the party. He noted that the Modi government had ultimately been compelled to accept the long-standing demand for caste enumeration, signalling a shift in their stance. Similarly, Samajwadi Party leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand expressed cautious optimism, emphasising that his party would closely monitor the process to ensure the caste census is conducted accurately alongside the population census.
Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy attributed the caste census initiative to the state of Telangana, which had already conducted its own caste survey.
He credited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for highlighting the necessity of such a census during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Reddy thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet for accepting the proposal, emphasising that it was crucial for identifying the needs of various castes and ensuring equitable development.
What Lalu Prasad Yadav said on caste census?
RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav also reflected on the long-standing demand for caste enumeration, recalling his tenure as the national president of Janata Dal when the United Front government had first decided to conduct a caste census in the 1996-97 period. However, the decision was later shelved by the Vajpayee-led NDA government.
Yadav recalled his efforts in Parliament, along with Mulayam Singh Yadav and Sharad Yadav, to push for the caste census during the 2011 census. He also pointed out that the first caste survey was conducted in Bihar under the Mahagathbandhan government, further emphasising the relevance of caste data for policy decisions.
The decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census is a historic step toward addressing the long-standing demand for better representation and inclusion of marginalised communities.