Govt may not be averse to caste-based census

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) With most parties pushing for a
caste-based census, the Indian government does not seem to be
averse to such an exercise during the process to enumerate the
country's populace that began recently.
Government sources said there is enough time to
incorporate a section of caste in the census exercise whose
second phase will begin in February next year.
The Registrar General of Census Operations, which
conducts the census exercise in the country, is yet to print
the papers relating to census and if, necessary, the clause of
caste could be incorporated in it.
Some ministers had earlier said since the census exercise
had already begun, enlisting caste data would be difficult
this time.
A final view in this regard will be taken by the Union
Cabinet, sources said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while responding to the
demands by members in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian
Parliament) Friday, said the Cabinet will shortly take a
decision on whether caste-based census should be undertaken or
not.
"I am aware of the views of the members of Parliament
belonging to all sections. I assure you that the Cabinet will
take a decision shortly," Singh said in a brief statement
without clearly saying whether the demands by parties would be
accepted.
His remarks mollified agitated opposition members who
had forced adjournment of the House earlier after Home
Minister P Chidambarm virtually ruled out inclusion of caste
in the exercise.
After the earlier adjournment, four prominent OBC
leaders, including Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad, met
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in a bid to persuade the
government to go in for a caste-based census.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deputy leader in the Lok
Sabha Gopinath Munde and Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav
were also present at the meeting so was Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Chidambaram.
If caste-based census is undertaken, it will be for the
first time since 1931.
Sources said there are fears that verification of an
individual's claim of his or her caste would be a difficult
process and questions would be raised over its genuineness
unless it is autheticated with some proper documents.
Besides, the whole caste-based census process will be a
time-consuming exercise as analysis of caste of each and every
citizen of the country's 1.2 billion population will take at
least two years time while verification of their claim, to be
done by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, will
take at least three years. PTI ACB
MRD


The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive
use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged
information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please
notify the sender immediately and destroy
all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.



Delete & Prev | Delete & Next