New Delhi: The Union Government has cleared a proposal to conduct caste-based census in the country.
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census. This demonstrates that the present government is committed to the holistic interests and values of the nation and society, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced here today.
It will ensure that the society is economically and socially empowered, and the nation progresses as well, he said.
While announcing the big Cabinet decision, Vaishnaw trained guns on the Congress, saying the party always opposed the caste census. He also attacked other INDIA bloc parties, accusing them of using the caste-based population count only to gain political mileage.
“Congress governments have always opposed the caste census. In 2010, the late Dr Manmohan Singh said in the Parliament 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 have recommended a caste census. Despite this, the Congress government thought it appropriate to conduct a survey known as SECC,” Vaishnaw said.
As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, Census is a union subject listed at 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule. While some States have conducted surveys to enumerate castes, these surveys have varied in transparency and intent, with some conducted purely from a political angle, creating doubts in society.
“Considering all these circumstances, and to ensure that our social fabric does not come under political pressure, it has been decided that caste enumeration should be included in the main census instead of being conducted as a separate survey,” he said.
This will ensure that society becomes stronger economically and socially, and the country’s progress continues without hindrance. It is noteworthy that when a provision of 10 percent reservation was made for the economically weaker sections of society, it did not create tension in any section of society, Vaishnaw said.
Caste was excluded from all census operations conducted since independence. In 2010, then Prime Minister Late Dr. Manmohan Singh assured the Lok Sabha that the matter of caste census would be considered in the Cabinet.
A Group of Ministers was formed to deliberate on this subject, and most political parties recommended conducting a caste census. Despite this, the previous government opted for a survey instead of a caste census, known as the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC).
The census exercise was to commence in April 2020 but got delayed due to the Covid pandemic. Had the exercise been carried out as per the 10-year schedule, the report would have been published in 2021.
Notably, the Odisha government had also urged the Centre to conduct caste-based census along with the annual census 2021.