NEW DELHI: Despite the polarising response it evokes, the ongoing census is almost certain to enumerate caste. The pressure of other backward castes (OBC) groups, which have asserted themselves strongly in all political parties, is set to prevail over misgivings about a new wave of caste-based politics.
A group of ministers headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will take a formal view on enumeration of caste after receiving the views of all political parties but the die seems to be cast. What needs to be now resolved is at what stage of the census this will be done and how the question would be framed.
Going by discussions in government so far, an enumeration of all castes might be on the cards. This would mean a comprehensive caste count that will tell what proportions of the population various sections represent, the first authentic figures after the 1931 census. Till now, NSSO and BPL surveys have provided a partial picture.
The only meeting of the GoM held so far had seen some differences in opinion with ministers like Salman Khursheed (minority affairs) and Mukul Wasnik (social justice and empowerment) backing a caste count while Kapil Sibal (HRD) differed. Defence minister A K Antony said he did not believe in caste. The meeting decided to ask parties to send in their views.
One of the issues raised at the meeting was that enumerating sub-castes would create a more fragmented polity with caste interests lobbying for proportionate quotas within broader categories like OBC, something that is already evident.
But such apprehensions as well as the argument that a caste count would not be able to change the Supreme Court-mandated 50% quota ceiling, have been swept aside by the political reality of OBC interests, particularly in north India. The OBC parliamentary forum has only recently given a fresh memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to press for a caste count.
Apart from the OBC forum, JD(U) and RJD leaders Sharad Yadav and Lalu Prasad met finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to remind him of assurances offered to them by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi during the Budget session of Parliament. The BJP, too, has decided to reiterate the position outlined by Gopinath Munde -- an OBC leader -- in Parliament in support of a caste count.
BJP has raised a question over the integrity of the census and this has been considered by the home ministry as well. To rule out exaggerated claims, it is felt caste information could be recorded in the last stage of the census when biometric information will be gathered. This way the next stage due to begin in February 2011, will be just the headcount. The first stage, the household and family survey, is over.
Though the government has a window till the end of the year to make up its mind, it will find it extremely difficult to retrace its steps on a caste census without risking a major showdown with OBC groups. Thought is being given as to whether a compromise is possible with some sort of a halfway house where sub-castes are not listed. But with state lists at variance with the Centre, an all caste count may be inevitable.
OBC leaders see the census as an important step towards legitimising their claims to quotas as they have argued that backwards constitute between 52-54% of the population. The NSSO has pegged OBC population in rural areas at 38.5%, a claim that OBC leaders dispute.
The GoM on the caste census has some time to finalise its views as it will consider the responses of parties and changes in either the headcount form or in the biometric procedures are not time consuming. There is still time for the registrar general to effect changes in keeping with the government's decision. The GoM report will be considered by the cabinet.
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