Census, Caste and Reservation: Need for a pragmatic approach

By Nikhil Anand
Bellevision Media Network

Nikhil Anand studied at Loyola School, Patna, Delhi University, JNU and IIMC.Worked for 12 years in Media Including Etv (copy editor), Sahara Tv (Correspondent) and zee News (producer). Have done M.A., M.Phil & Presently a Ph.D Scholar and socio- political activist.Email:- nikhil.anand20@gmail.com

29 May 2010: Caste has always been an issue, which intellectuals in general including sociologists and political scientists apprehend to discuss. Anyone can observe this trend among the vast section of educated people as if they are suffering from fear psychosis for being branded as casteist. Therefore, the general tendency is to put the caste under the carpet or keep silent but not to discuss on the issue, which is the biggest evil of our Indian society.

The ruling party seems to have agreed for caste-based census, though the actual position of the government on the issue still not clear. The Prime Minister has assured that cabinet will take decision soon. Now we find some intellectuals coming forward in the open to support the government.

What is more surprising is that many intellectuals have come forward garnering support for OBC census only counting several reasons. The question, which comes to our mind, is the census only reservation oriented or has some social, political, economic, cultural and developmental significance too.

There must be a complete caste based census otherwise, only OBC census will open a new Pandora box for politicians in the name of Mandal politics. The caste census must record the economic condition and caste of all the citizens of this country and those who do not believe in caste may have option to put Indian or other in the category. Later the government may count the number of OBCs with the Mandal list and prepare a SC/ ST list too. While some tribes and some local dialects are on verge of extinction, all such unlisted people must be counted separately giving them their distinct identity. Count the Nomads and the eunuchs too. Surprisingly eunuchs are counted as male in the census.

Caste is decided by birth and cannot be changed until death. It is a stagnant force while class is a mobile force and changeable. Self-respect and dignity depends on the caste in the society, which has an upper caste orientation. However, caste is prevalent in the society for five thousand years with an upper caste pressure group creating a feudal setup. The newly started lower caste mobility has come in to make the social system more democratic. The mobility due to this caste consciousness has produced Dalit, OBC leadership at the national scene making a great contribution in social change. Though the amount of symbolism and rhetoric is of course there, one cannot deny the socio-political-economic significance of this mobility. This basis of caste in the society forms the logic for the reservation based on social deprivation. The discussion for reservation to economically weaker section upper caste has also come in. If implemented, is the system efficient enough to check its misuse? Therefore, the complete caste census supported UID can only ensure the socio- economic profile of each citizen to stop any such caste and economic status fraud to get reservation benefit.

It is a wrong notion to think that counting the OBCs only will solve all the problems, there are still many caste and sub- caste groups which is demanding to be included in the OBCs and SC/ ST and govt also appeasing them by doing so on time to time. In addition, OBC census only seems to be very reservation oriented and is a shortsighted petty political approach. All the political parties in principal have come out in support of reservation policy but no one can claim this policy as the panacea for all the evils Indian society is facing. This protective discrimination policy should not be a permanent phenomenon but be done away in a phase wise manner in the longer run. A detailed caste census will give us the data to be utilised for the complete overhaul of reservation policy in the hour of need as well as a tool to discuss for a new planning and policy making in the longer run.

A vast section of people propagating that the casteism will increase with caste census. Diversity is everywhere and in the western countries including the USA and UK have been for long counting people of different groups separately like black, white, Hispanic, Asians etc. Have the democracy in those countries been destroyed? India too is counting people in the name of religion in every census and a survey took place to know the figure of minorities in the jobs. Where has the communalism taken over the country and we all know that Hindus a largest in number in India and it can just be an idea that India should be a Hindu state but is a remotest possibility which we all see getting rejected every time during the elections. If the caste census is unjustified then what is the intellectual logic for religion-based census!

Recently Rangnath Mishra and Rajendra Sachar committee submitted a detailed report for the welfare of minorities and a great deal of politics has been going on for the religion-based quota. Many progressive and Socialist have come forward in the excitement to support this idea but very few people may remember that in the post mandal scenario it was the Ex- Congress president Sita Ram Kesri who mooted this idea and raised his voice in favour of Muslim reservation. Then Madhu Limaye called him up, shot him a letter against his statement, and asked him that if he is more concerned than provides for reservation to SC / ST & OBC of all minority community as par Hindus. This religion based reservation policy in itself a very dangerous idea and against the secular value and ethics of Indian democracy. Anyone who is having a fare idea of India society knows that the sociology of all minority community in India is different from anywhere in the world. Like in Hindus the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Bauddh, etc. too are afflicted with caste division. While the OBCs among the minorities are getting reservation under Mandal Commission, the Dalits are demanding for the same as per their Hindu counterpart. Why not government and intellectuals try to be more democratic and start a debate for such provision that will give boost to the genuinely deprived section of minorities. As such debate is doing round at different level the caste-based census will just provide the platform for analysis of social strata of different sections among the minorities.

It is easier for any political party to play politics in the name of religion and even OBC/ SC/ ST but when a complete caste census takes place any govt will be compelled to take the route of policymaking and development to appease whosoever is deprived rather than play the game of politics only. In this era of globalisation and information revolution masses wants their share of economy with the share of power. What is wrong in giving the share to the all those socially, economically and politically deprived? Any ideological justification to deny these people of their right is shameful and supported by the theory of exclusivity and superiority of certain few.

Caste is not a Lord Shiva’s arrow that any Ram will come and break it. Caste is not a myth too but a rugged reality of our Indian society. When caste is the key Identity source in the society out rightly rejecting the caste is a conspiracy against the upcoming section of the society to disapprove them of their Identity, depoliticise them and further keep them on the sidelines of mainstream. Caste will break by debate and discussion but have a long way to go. We need genuine progressives, and not the masked intellectual, whose words and action has similarity to take this debate further.

The study related to the socio-political and economic growth of different caste and communities is only possible through this detailed caste census that will put hold on all such demand for reservation as well as help the social scientists and policy makers to utilise the data for social and economic development of this country. If not done this time debate will go behind the curtain for another 10 years. Lets come forward to discuss this very evil of our society unhesitatingly, exposed it, dilute it though there may be differences of opinion but we will make way for the democracy to survive.