Casting caste
The Indian Express Posted online: Tue May 11 2010, 02:33 hrs
The last time caste was listed as a category in the census exercise
was in 1931. And one need not go all that way back to survey the
complications the government has just set up for itself by
capitulating suddenly and agreeing to include caste identification in
Census 2011. As John Henry Hutton, census commissioner in 1931, wrote
later: "Experience at this census has shown very clearly the
difficulty of getting a correct return of caste and likewise the
difficulty of interpreting it for census purposes." Last week Home
Minister P. Chidambaram told Lok Sabha: "The enumerator is not an
investigator or verifier." There are for instance, he said, OBC (Other
Backward Classes) lists at the Centre and the state, and they may be
different; some states have these lists, some do not, and yet others
have a subset of the most backward in this category. Also, just
getting feedback from the enumerated on their caste identity would
require a background understanding that is likely beyond the census'
21 lakh enumerators.
That problem of verification is similar 80 years on, but the India of
1931 is long past, and the ways of seeking caste identification cannot
be taken from long ago. In the intervening years an independent
country gave itself a progressive Constitution, that resolutely
resists the idea of its citizens being ranked by caste. India today
must come to the idea of caste by another route. Of course, the
reality of caste exists in too many places and too many ways.
Mitigating that reality, however, requires dealing with the systemic
inequality resulting from caste realities but without, in turn,
perpetuating caste. The Constitution rightly identifies the Scheduled
Castes separately; but in allowing for affirmative action for others,
it speaks of "other backward classes". Since the Mandal agitation
opened up the politics of empowerment, that shorthand of caste as a
marker for backwardness has been further nuanced. Groups listed at
OBCs often defy the hierarchy of caste; the courts have laid down
protocols for excluding the creamy layer; it is not just Hindus who
are included; and the list is, in theory, updated periodically.
The point is, in modern India, must the state impose questions of
caste identity on individuals? Is this task not better done through
statistical endeavours, allowing an individual to opt in to avail of
affirmative action on her own volition? These are among the questions
the government must carefully consider, and be seen to be mindful
about.
------------------------------------
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/
PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com
TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/
Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
No comments:
Post a Comment