Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, the ideological mentor of Bharatiya Janata Party, on Monday clearly indicated its support to the caste census, but added a rider saying that the census should not be used as ‘a political tool.’ At the end of the three-day Samanwaya Baithak (coordination meeting) between RSS and its frontline outfits, Sunil Ambekar, prachar pramukh (publicity in-charge) of RSS told a press conference: “For the welfare of communities or castes which are lagging behind, which require special attention, government needs statistics, and it is a well-established practice. It was done in the past and can be done again, but it should be meant only for the welfare of these communities and castes, and it should not be used as a political tool for elections. We want to put this as a line of caution for everyone.”
Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, had been demanding caste census, and there are indications that the Centre might soon take a call on caste census issue. But the question remains whether the Centre will put caste census statistics in public domain? While Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal welcomed the RSS step, it also demanded that caste census and caste-based reservation must be included in the Ninth Schedule of Constitution. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is going to take out “Aabhar (thanksgiving) Yatra” in Bihar from September 10, but the objective is to put BJP and its ally JD-U in a corner.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said caste census alone can ensure development of all sections of society. The Congress, however, questioned the RSS spokesperson’s observation that caste census could also pose a danger to social unity. “It means RSS is openly opposing caste census”, the party said. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, “RSS should clearly tell the country whether it is for or against caste census. Is the Sangh Parivar, which supports Manu Smriti in place of our Constitution, really concerned about giving representation to our backward, poor, and exploited classes?”
RSS has taken the same stand which Chirag Paswan’s LJP(R) has taken. It wants caste census to be undertaken but the figures should not be revealed. It wants the figures to be used only for making welfare plans for those castes, which have been left behind in the march towards progress. Whether it is Akhilesh Yadav, or Tejashwi Yadav, or Rahul Gandhi, all of them insist on caste census in order to know the socio-economic conditions of all castes. But when the RSS said the same thing, it is being dubbed as “anti-reservation”.
The strategy of opposition leaders seems to be quite clear. They will first demand caste census, and then demand that the figures be made public. They will then demand proportional representation for castes by taking shelter behind the slogan, “Jiski Jitni Sankhya Bhaari, Uski Utni Hissedari”. They will demand hiking the reservation limit, citing the example of Tamil Nadu. The sole objective is to play vote-bank politics. By extending support to caste census, the RSS has exposed the real strategy of the opposition parties.
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