Caste data in 2011 census ?

The stage is set for the inclusion of caste in the national headcount after a gap of 79 years after high-pressure lobbying by OBC satraps and an intervention by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi saw Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promising a decision “soon’’. The remarkable turnaround in the government’s stand, which even on Friday morning reflected caution with home minister P Chidambaram elaborating logistical and practical difficulties, came about after Yadav leaders Mulayam Singh, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav angrily rejected the minister’s statement. The Yadav trio, who had the support of a large majority in the House, felt that the home minister’s promise that their views would be heard and kept in mind were evasive, and wanted a clear assurance on whether caste enumeration would be part of the ongoing decadal census. This prompted Sonia to beckon the Yadavs over on the floor of the Lok Sabha itself. She placated the OBC chieftains and this was followed by discussions in finance minister Pranab Mukherjee’s chamber. Shortly after,Singh told the LS,“I am aware of the views of members belonging to all sections. I assure you that the cabinet will take a decision soon.’’ The three Yadavs urged the Congress chief to take the initiative and felt she was supportive. They are confident that the next meeting of the cabinet could take the decision to include caste in the census. They told Sonia to use the powers vested in her to clear the “confusion’’ caused by the home minister’s statement. The inclusion of caste in the census would be a signal victory for OBC politicians who are confident that their numbers are significant and will help stake claim to greater political benefits.Though not tested, the data will impact the future course of politics as backward groups base their demands on the basis of the numerical strength the census will throw up. The backward population is claimed at 52% but the NSSO survey pegged it at 41% while the ministry of rural development’s BPL survey showed rural OBC population at around 38.5%. Mukherjee explained it was not late to include caste in the decennial census which rolled out on April 1. He said, “It (census) has just started. All we need to do is to include a column on OBC. There are already columns on General, SC/ST.’’ He also rebuffed apprehensions that collection of data on caste would lack authenticity as people could lie about their castes. It concludes a serious onslaught by backward leaders who brought Parliament to a halt in the last few days to demand that the census include caste as a criteria to count the number of OBCs in the country.