Caste Census in India: The debate over caste census in India erupted on Monday as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar termed the exercise a ‘sensitive issue’. The Congress immediately attacked Ambekar, claiming that the “RSS has openly opposed the caste census.”
On Monday, the RSS chief spokesperson was addressing a gathering in Palakkad, Kerala, when he said, “In our Hindu society, we have a sensitive issue of caste and caste relations… It is an important issue of our national unity and integrity, so it should be dealt with very seriously, not just for elections or politics…”
The caste census, conducted by Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar when he was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has been a demand of the opposition at the national level.
On Monday, the RSS spokesperson said, “For all welfare activities, especially to address a particular community or caste which is lagging behind and needs special attention, if ever the government needs numbers, it can take it. It (the government) has taken (numbers) earlier also, it can take it, there is no problem in it.”
“But its (caste census) purpose should be to address only the welfare of those communities and castes. It should not be used as a political tool for election campaigning. And so we have issued a warning to everyone…” Sunil Ambekar said.
However, later the Congress targeted this right-wing organization, which is also called the ideological mentor of the BJP. Congress posted, “RSS has openly opposed the caste census. RSS says – caste census is not good for the society. It is clear from this statement that BJP and RSS do not want to conduct caste census. They do not want to give Dalits, backward and tribals their rights. But keep this in writing – caste census will happen and Congress will get it done.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly advocated for a caste census to find out the exact size of each caste community. Similar demands have also come from many political parties.
The caste census conducted in Bihar under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar revealed that about 80 percent of the population belongs to the extremely backward classes.
What is the RSS stand on caste census?
Apart from the comments of Shridhar Gadge in December 2023, the RSS has clarified its stand on the caste census, saying it is not opposed to the nationwide implementation of the exercise.
In December 2023, Shridhar Gadge had remarked that a nationwide caste census would be ‘futile’. The RSS Sahasanghachalak of the Vidarbha region had also said that the caste census ‘would not be in the interest of the nation’.
Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Gadge said, “There should not be a caste-based census. Anyway, what will it achieve?” “Caste census will reveal the population based on caste. But it will not be in the interest of society or the nation.”
Explaining the difference between caste census and reservation, Gadge had said, “The two are not interconnected. The RSS supports reservation. It believes that reservation is necessary for the upliftment of backward classes.” He said that reservation can continue even without conducting caste census.
