New Delhi, (Samajweekly) With the Bihar government releasing its caste-based census report on October 2, it has given a fresh ammo to the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
The party’s highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), has passed a resolution saying that it will carry out nation-wide caste-based census if voted to power in next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
The party feels that this is not a political move, but it’s about over 50 per cent of the population not getting representation in the country.
While addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Monday after the CWC meeting, Rahul Gandhi said, “We held a discussion on caste census at the CWC meeting, and a historic decision has been taken unanimously to support the process whole-heartedly.
“There was no one at the meeting who did not support this idea. Our CMs have also decided to conduct the caste census in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. This is a progressive and powerful step for the emancipation of poor people.”
He also said that the Congress will put pressure on the BJP to conduct caste census because the country needs it.
“If BJP doesn’t do this, it should get out of the way so that we can carry out the caste census,” he said.
Speaking to IANS, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, who is also the chairperson of the social media and digital platforms, said, “We are not raising this issue so that it helps us politically. I think it’s an issue that should be raised. A vast majority of our people – almost over 50 per cent – are not represented fairly.”
Pointing out what Rahul Gandhi had said during the Parliament’s Special Session, Shrinate said, “When Rahul Gandhi speaks about 90 secretaries in the government with only three belonging to OBC, it should concern us all. We should question as to why only 4 per cent professors across central universities are from the OBC community. We must ask why only 9 per cent of faculty in the IITs and 6 per cent in IIMs are from the SC, ST, OBC community.”
The Congress leader also asked that how can we ensure equitable growth when in the last 10 years, literacy rate and purchasing power parity of OBCs have gone down.
“These are serious questions of representation, and not some political points to be scored,” she added.
“Who are we to deny them representation? Absolutely, it should happen and I don’t just think it will help us, but it will help the country as there will be more equable distribution of work, wealth resources and in the 21st century, you cannot live peacefully if the majority of the people don’t have proper representation.
“So, I think it’s more important that it happens, and the Congress is certain that it should happen and if the BJP fails to do it, we will force them to do it. If they can’t, we will do it after we form our government in the next elections,” she said.
Pointing out the caste-based census findings in Bihar, the Congress leader said that “we also need to look at the findings, as 84 per cent people belong to SC, ST and OBC communities.”
Shrinate also pointed out that in the last five years, only 15 per cent IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers have come from the OBC community.
Meanwhile, a party leader wishing not to be named said that this issue will also help the Congress in combating BJP’s politics of polarisation.
He pointed out that the way Congress suffered in the early ’90s due to the Mandal Commission, the BJP may also suffer on the issue of caste-based census.
He said that Rahul Gandhi voicing his concern for caste-based census is giving a clear message of equal participation for everyone.
