On April 30, the central government announced the addition of a caste census in the forthcoming population survey.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, on Saturday, wrote to PM Modi urging him to conduct a "comprehensive review of the social protection and reservation policies" once the exercise to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census is completed.
Meanwhile, the Congress party on Friday has asked the Modi government to announce a 'clear timeline' for every stage of the caste survey and reiterated its demand for removing the 'arbitrary ceiling' of 50 per cent on reservations for SC, ST and OBC.
On April 30, the central government announced the addition of a caste census in the forthcoming population survey.
On Saturday, Tejashvi Yadav shared the letter on X. It was written on Friday.
"Conducting the caste census is merely the first step of the long journey towards social justice. The census data must lead to a comprehensive review of social protection and reservation policies. The arbitrary cap on reservations will also have to be reconsidered," the letter said.
"The upcoming delimitation exercise should reflect the social realities uncovered by the census, ensuring proportional political representation for marginalised groups," it read.
"The redrawing of constituencies should be sensitive to and reflective of the census data," Yadav wrote to the PM.
Special provisions must be there for adequate political representation of OBCs and EBCs, who have been systematically excluded from decision-making forums.
"Hence, they will need to be expanded based on the proportional representation principle in state assemblies and the parliament of India," his letter read.
He also mentioned that the decision to conduct the caste census can be a transformative moment in our nation's journey towards equality.
The millions who have struggled for this census await not just data but dignity, not just enumeration but empowerment.
"The private sector, which has been a major beneficiary of public resources, cannot remain insulated from social justice imperatives," Yadav wrote.
Companies have received substantial benefits, including land at concessional rates, power subsidies, tax exemptions, infrastructure support, and various financial incentives funded by taxpayer money. In return, it is entirely reasonable to expect them to reflect the social composition of our country, he wrote.
"Will the data be used as a catalyst for systemic reforms, or will it be confined to dusty archives like many previous commission reports?" the RJD leader asked.
"Prime Minister, your government now stands at a historic crossroads," he said.
Assuring the PM of Bihar's cooperation Yadav wrote, as Bihar's representative, where the caste survey opened many eyes to ground realities, "I assure you of constructive cooperation in utilising the census findings for genuine social transformation." The millions who have struggled for this census await not just data but dignity, not just enumeration but empowerment, he said in the letter.
Referring to the Bihar caste survey, which revealed that OBCs and EBCs constitute around 63 per cent of the state's population, Yadav said similar data at the national level could shatter many myths perpetuated to maintain the status quo.
On Friday, the Congress party asserted in a resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders.
The CWC Resolution read, "After 11 years of continued opposition and stubborn refusal, the Modi government has finally conceded to the demand of the Congress to collect population data caste-wise as part of the next census. For 11 years, the prime minister attacked the Congress leadership for raising this demand."
The resolution was written by the Congress president to the prime minister on April 16, 2023, demanding an up-to-date, comprehensive caste survey.
Read More | The Caste Census - Explained
A caste based survey is a system where the caste identities of the individuals are included in the national census.
This provides a gain in deeper insights into social demographics while also facilitating distribution patterns.
The data can be further used for benefit transfer and also shape targeted policies for a specific area, facilitating greater alleviation.