Caste: Identity or bane?
May 13th, 2010
DC Correspondent Share Buzz up!This move will remove disparity
Raghuvansh P. Singh
Caste-based census was last conducted in 1931 and since then, despite
several demands, no attempt was ever made to empirically determine the
number of people belonging to different castes. And whenever the
demand of proportionate sharing of the resources of the nation came to
the fore, everyone — from the Supreme Court to various commissions —
talked about "the real number" of the other backward classes (OBCs).
This is exactly the reason why, six decades after Independence, the
socially, economically and educationally backward communities continue
to remain deprived.
When we count the number of people belonging to Scheduled Castes
(SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and minorities in every census in the
country, exclusion of the OBCs is absolutely illogical. To end this
discrimination, the government should include caste as a factor of
enumeration in Census 2010.
There are provisions to provide special facilities to the large number
of deprived sections of our population, but for this there is no
scientific basis or data. Therefore, backward communities'
participation is disproportionate to their population. They don't get
what is rightfully theirs.
Not only is the caste census imperative for the all-round development
of all sections of society, including the OBCs, my view is that on the
lines of the ministries of minority affairs and tribal affairs, we
need to have a separate ministry for SCs and the OBCs. Presently, the
social justice ministry looks after the affairs of this deprived
sections of the society, but it's not enough. A tentative estimate
suggests that OBC population in the country is about 54 per cent. But
in the absence of a separate ministry, this large chunk of population
is left behind on developmental indices.
The ministry of home affairs has been resisting the demand for
caste-based census on the basis of some administrative difficulties.
But, in my view, the resistance is misplaced and is at the behest of
vested interests.
After getting empirical proof of the number of backward community, the
government can move in the direction of evolving a new scientific
policy for their development.
I, however, agree that the existence of caste system is not good for
the country. It has harmed our nation more than any other evil. But
how do we get rid of this? In my view, we first need to recognise it
as an evil, as till now we have been behaving like ostriches while
exploiting it for our respective political gains. We need to change
our mindset and the first step towards this would be to determine the
real number of each caste in the country and then work towards
ensuring distributive economy in a just manner. This would be in the
larger interest of the country.
— Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, former Union minister and RJD MP
Another kind of votebank politics
Abani Roy
First of all, as Marxists we always strive to achieve a classless and
casteless society. And particularly in India we have often raised the
question of dividing the society on the basis of caste, religion etc.
Though leaders of various political parties often say that the society
is being divided on these lines, but when questions of privileges or
of reservation comes up all of us stand in support. This trend is not
good as it is mostly politically motivated rather than a genuine
effort to bring up the underprivileged.
In my view the demand to include caste in Census 2010 has essentially
been made keeping in mind votebank politics. You will see, once caste
enumeration is done and numbers are determined according to caste
classification, this vice in the Indian society will get further
entrenched. This will further divide the country.
Even after giving certain privileges to certain sections of society,
nothing much has changed in more than 60 years of Independence. For
example, look at the level of representation of Scheduled Castes (SCs)
and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Central government services.
A large number of harijan and tribal population are still left behind
as they failed to keep pace with the national development process.
Look at the level of unrest among them and the ongoing armed struggle
in different parts of the country. Questions are often asked why the
Naxal movement has popular support in tribal dominated areas?
I am not saying that I support their means to get justice, but the
government and civil society need to think innovatively about bringing
them back to the national mainstream by addressing the real problems
rather than just counting them. This will only help the political
class to exploit them more.
According to me, the demand for including caste in the process of
census is another kind of vote politics. Recently the other backward
castes got reservation in government jobs and educational
institutions, yet the question of backward class remains as it is.
Giving privileges based only on caste will not help in eradicating
social, economic and educational backwardness in the country.
Therefore, instead of including caste in the census, my suggestion
would be to include poverty figures and data.
The Left has always argued that in the 60 years of our Independence,
rich became richest and poor became poorest.
However, since the demand for including caste in the census has come
from a majority of political parties, we consider it a necessary evil
and create a column in the form to enumerate the caste identity.
— Abani Roy, secretary Revolutionary Socialist Party and Rajya Sabha MP
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