July 25, 2010
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Perspective
The caste census will create more divide
By M Rajagopal
India is declared as secular and democratic country without
distinction between caste and creed why the bogie of caste has
started. In fact there are a number of parents who are not attaching
their caste like Chowdhry, Reddy,Sharma,Sastri, in their sons and
daughters names. In fact GoI and state governments and progressive
academicians should advocate for dropping caste in their children's
names. On one side politicians belonging to parties like Congress,
TDP, CPM SP.RJD, blame BJP as non secular. Why can not these
politicians remove caste tag at the end of their names and get their
children marry outside their castes there by showing their secular
credentials.
THE idea of collecting castes in the ensuing census 2011 is triggered
by Y chromosomes for their survival in their own states by levering
the keys of UPA government to their advantage. Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh has no option but to agree in principle and constituted
a group of ministers under the chairmanship of Finance Minister to
study all aspects of the proposal including steps for collection of
data in the census in 2011. There was neither a public debate nor the
idea emanated years back. This issue came up suddenly in May 2010
ignoring vital issues facing the country. After a long threatening
debate and stern warning by the these Ys,Government of India conceded
and constituted a group of ministers (GoM) under the chairmanship of
Pranab Mukherjee to examine this issue. The committee which met on
July 1, 2010 discussed and decided to examine the issue further
without a firm decision. Let us wait and watch!
Registrar General of Census has already initiated action for
collecting 2011 census and formats are being finalised. Now an
addition of another column in the format becomes a problem. Let us
examine the pro and cons of collecting caste based census and is it
necessary to collect the same along with 2011.
Collection of caste based census was stopped after 1931census and
after India attained independence Constitution makers confined only
for collection of such date in respect of SC and ST who are oppressed
and needed protection by the government. There is no second opinion
for collection of such data at every census to review their percentage
in the total population and take appropriate measures for their
economic and political empowerment. Before Mandal Commission several
states notably the then Madras state government has been providing
financial assistance and reservation in the technical institutes to
backward classes. Several states have identified castes which are
included as backward classes. Looking into a large number of castes
requiring support, Mandal Commission toured almost all the states and
identified different castes in different states to be considered. I do
not know how many persons had an opportunity to study the report. I
had an occasion to read the report cursorily and found some Brahmin
sub castes and Muslim sub castes were included as backward classes in
Andhra Pradesh. These were not there in the castes identified by the
state government. If all states as suggested by Mandal Commission were
to be included I wonder whether any left over caste is needing
protection.
The core issue is that in the absence of correct data the socio
economic schemes benefitting persons belonging to OBCs for their
empowerment are not reaching the needy. Consequently one third persons
in India are still at starvation line after sixty years of planning.
GoI is guided by the state lists of OBCs.
I quote an article namely "Caste based census back on national issues"
published by R.C. Rajamani which is apt in the present context.
"The Home Ministry, which is opposed to the demand for the inclusion
of caste figures, has been maintaining that it is fraught with
dangerous consequences''. In a note drafted for the Cabinet, it cited
"operational difficulties" in carrying out such an exercise which, if
executed, would overshadow its basic objective itself. There were
1,885 notified SCs and STs in India, according to the note. But the
number returned in the 2001 census was 18,478. There were, in
addition, surnames and clan names, and classification and grouping
under SC/ST itself was a formidable task. In the event of a
caste-based census, hundreds of castes will be returned with people
using clan names and gotra interchangeably.
The total number of OBCs were 6,000, including castes and sub groups.
There were two separate sets of OBC lists - one for the Centre, and
the other for the states. Several complex entries are very difficult
to comprehend at the level of the enumerator who is only a primary
school teacher.
For instance, the OBC list in the state was not easy to comprehend.
Dhobi in Delhi, Kohli in Maharashtra, Patua in UP and Rajjhar in MP
were also names in the list of SCs. Again, orphans and destitute
children were listed as OBCs in Tamil Nadu.
Microscopic and probing inquiries into caste was not possible at the
level of enumerator, says the note. "It is difficult to tabulate and
classify OBCs... the phonetic similarity in the name of castes may
lead to confusion in the enumerator's mind and throw up inaccurate
data."
John Henry Hutton, Census Commissioner in 1931 mentioned about the
difficulties encountered in the collection of caste data.
The comments for and against collection of caste based census are:
Against Caste Census
It will be retrogressive step;
India gets divided and increase difference among people;
Social evils come into fore;
Once the results are out there would be hell among different castes
for their survival;
All ready cabinet posts both at centre and states are filled up by
representing different caste and relationship and not on merit;
Hinduism faced onslaught of Muslims earlier and now with this step
there will be internal tussle among various castes;
India gets disintegrated and bring civil war among different castes;
Constitution of India declares India as secular and with this step
India can be united;
Collection of data by identifying different castes in different states
to bring uniformity becomes a problem for the government;
At the time enumeration it is possible for the head of the household
to get his family registered as OBC for gaining benefits of
reservations in government jobs, subsidized interest from banks plots
and flat allotments, admissions in to technical institutes like
engineering and medicine, obtaining scholar ships ;
It is divisive agenda of political parties to get political gains;
Social activists and civil society members favor a larger discussions
before a decision is taken;
Lok Sabha Speaker is against collection of data;
For Caste Census
Government schemes for OBC will be successfully implemented;
Correct data through census will help revision of ongoing schemes to
tackle poverty elimination schemes;
Volcano would be erupted if the census are not carries out;
There would be social turmoil if it failed to address the inequalities;
To bring social justice and development among the OBCs;
Census will expose upper castes reigning the country;
Majority of central and state cabinet ministers favour the idea;
Majority of parliament members and their parties also insist on such
data collection;
Caste system has been here for ages. It's been there. It's not true
that census leads to division. Caste system has remained even where
there was no enumeration;
Caste is a reality in Indian system. Even ticket distribution by
political parties is done on the basis of caste;
Political parties in general support such co0llection;
If the data is collected for ascertaining the caste, the investigator
has to go round a number of castes identified with different code
numbers.. Before that, the GoI and state governments have to
streamline the castes to an equivalent common group and code which
need to be same for all states. For instance Saxena, Mathur, Nigam,
Srivastava Bhatnagar, etc castes, in UP and Rajasthan need to coded
with Chowdhry, Reddy, Naidu etc in Andhra Pradesh. Within Andhra
Pradesh Naidu caste in Chittor district is different from Naidu caste
from Visakhapatanam, Srikakulam, East Godavari districts Already
census officials are facing difficulties in collecting sub castes
among ST and SC during census operations.
India is declared as secular and democratic country without
distinction between caste and creed why the bogie of caste has
started. In fact there are a number of parents who are not attaching
their caste like Chowdhry, Reddy,Sharma,Sastri, in their sons and
daughters names. In fact GoI and state governments and progressive
academicians should advocate for dropping caste in their children's
names. On one side politicians belonging to parties like Congress,
TDP, CPM SP.RJD, blame BJP as non secular. Why can not these
politicians remove caste tag at the end of their names and get their
children marry outside their castes there by showing their secular
credentials. Why these politicians visit temples, take baths in river
Ganges at Allahabad, Hardwar on Kumbh mela days etc. These politicians
are mokaterains or opportunists or selfish and are not selfless. In
the name of getting opportunities to make their clan prosperous these
opportunist politicians are forcing the GoI to collect caste data.
Once such data is collected no politician will advocate family
planning and instead advocate their family tree to grow and spread far
and wide like a Banayan tree. If the politicians are interested in
making the country great and super power like China let MPs and MLAs
start removing their caste against their names and show their large
heartedness and work for the country's economic and social progress .
Problems that arise due to collection of such data is that the country
will be divided into groups and sub groups. Tomorrow the same
politicians will insist on reservation of seats in Lok Sabha and
Vidhan Sabha on the strength of their castes. Even today the
politicians select candidates for contest based on the caste, their
caste based voters, money and lung power. In such a scenario strength
of castes in each district would be known and there would be
infighting.
It is time to build a united India free from castes barriers and
identify economically backward persons for their upliftment. Nowadays
educated persons and social reformers are encouraging or showing no
objection their children to marry persons of their choice irrespective
of caste and religion.
Since the Finance Minister is still getting the views of other
political parties before finalising the government stand, the
government needs to examine all pros and cons and its long term effect
on India's integrity from academic and social institutions .The
desirability of collecting the data may be postponed to 2021 census
instead of taking a hurried step.
(The writer is a social activist)
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