India: Caste data to be part of next population census

New Delhi: The Indian government announced on Wednesday that the caste census will be conducted along with the next population census, an exercise undertaken at the central level.

The decision was taken at the high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) on Wednesday, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing the media, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided today that caste enumeration would be included in the forthcoming census.”

The move holds significance because the caste census has been one of the main poll planks of the Congress-led INDIA Bloc, and it has also been striking a deep chord with the common public.

The ‘unexpected’ move by the government is set to recalibrate the social equations and also influence public sentiments to a great extent, say political experts.

Notably, the government has so far refrained from undertaking any such exercise, citing its potential to spike division and differences in society. However, Congress and its allies, including the RJD, have strongly advocated for it, reasoning that all sections of society must get representation in government as per their population.

By announcing the caste census, the BJP-led government has turned the tables on the Congress and blunted its most popular narrative in challenging the Centre.

The move also assumes significance as the decision comes just ahead of the Assembly elections slated in Bihar, later this year, where caste equations reign supreme over everything.

From Congress to regional satraps like RJD and even the ruling JD-U, all parties rely on the caste matrix to claim power in the state.

By clubbing the caste census with the national census, the BJP will have a vantage point in convincing the masses about its intentions and motive of ensuring social justice under the Modi government and also ‘expose’ Congress and others on using it merely for political gains.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan took to X to express his support for the move. “An important decision was taken in the national interest by approving the caste-based census in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji today. I and my party had been demanding for a long time that a caste-based census be conducted in the country, today this demand has been accepted. For this, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the popular Prime Minister of the country,” Chirag said.

“In the last few years, many misconceptions were spread between me and the Central Government regarding the caste census. Today’s decision is a clear answer to all these rumours. This step of the central government will bring a big change in the direction of inclusive development of the country. Caste census will help in making policies more equitable and targeted. This will provide solid information and basis for empowering the deprived sections,” he added.

Janata Dal (United) National Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha also welcomed the move, calling it a significant step for the upliftment of deprived sections.

“On behalf of the entire JDU family, many thanks and congratulations to the respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Home Minister Amit Shah ji for the historic decision to conduct caste census along with the upcoming census across the country. We are confident that this decision will help in making more effective plans for the welfare and upliftment of the deprived sections,” Jha said.

“In accordance with his policy of ‘Development with Justice’, the National President of Janata Dal United and the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar ji has conducted the caste census in Bihar with complete transparency and has also made its results public.

He clearly believes that it is necessary to have accurate data of various castes for the purpose of reducing socio-economic inequality and making accurate plans for the welfare of the targeted sections,” he added.