The Narendra Modi government’s decision to include enumeration of caste in the forthcoming national population survey has stirred up a political debate, with both the ruling and opposition parties vying to take credit for the move.
The Congress party, while endorsing the government’s decision as a “right step”, noted that they had continuously raised the demand for a caste census, but the government was “avoiding” its implementation.
Many other opposition parties, too, claimed that the Modi government took the decision under immense political pressure.
The ruling BJP, however, dismissed such assertions and said it was the government's resolve to transparently include caste enumeration in the forthcoming pan-India census exercise.
The saffron party also accused the opposition parties of using caste surveys as a "political tool".
On Thursday, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan doubled down on the party’s stand and said the government’s decision had exposed the difference between "true intentions and empty sloganeering".
"The gamechanger decision has exposed the difference between our true intentions and empty sloganeering by the Opposition, although it has been welcomed by most opposition parties," he said, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Delhi.
The decision to include caste enumeration in the national census was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) on Wednesday.
Announcing the decision, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the census comes under the purview of the Centre, but some opposition-ruled states have done caste enumeration in the name of surveys for political reasons.
The national population survey was to begin in April 2020 but got delayed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
