New Delhi: Speaking on Union Cabinet decisions on Wednesday (April 30), Union Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw said that the Modi government will conduct a caste census in India. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided to include ‘caste enumeration’ in the forthcoming census exercise. On caste census included with national census, Union Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw said, “Congress govts have always opposed the caste census. In 2010, the late Dr Manmohan Singh said that the matter of caste census should be considered in the Cabinet. A group of ministers was formed to consider this subject. Most of the political parties have recommended a caste census. Despite this, the Congress government decided to conduct a survey of caste or a caste census. It is well understood that Congress and its INDI alliance partners have used the caste census only as a political tool. Some states have conducted surveys to enumerate castes. While some states have done this well, some others conducted such surveys only from a political angle in a non-transparent way. Such surveys created doubts in society. To ensure that our social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be included in the census instead of surveys….”
“Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided today that Caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming census,” said Union Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw on Union Cabinet decisions. The caste census will take place across the nation after almost 94 years.
