Party Leader Writes to Prime Minister, Pursues Multi-Party Discussion on Caste Census Matter
Hey there! Let's get down to business. The Congress chief, Mallikarjun Khague, has lit the fuse on a potential dialogue with our honorable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, regarding the long-standing issue of the caste census. Khuge shared a letter he penned to the PM on his Twitter handle, causing quite a stir in the public sphere.
Here's what's going on:
What's the Big Idea?
Khague has put forward three suggestions for the PM's consideration:
- The design of the census questionnaire is crucial. Khague suggests we adopt the methodology used in Telangana's caste census questionnaire as a model.
- The results of the caste census will likely reveal the need to scrap the 50% ceiling on reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Khague believes this ceiling should be removed through a Constitutional amendment.
- Implement Article 15(5), which was introduced in 2006, allowing for reservations for disadvantaged groups in private educational institutions.
Khague maintains that any action, such as conducting a caste census, which guarantees rights to the underprivileged, minorities, and oppressed, cannot and should not be considered divisive. In fact, Khague points out that our country has come together as one in times of need, just as we did following the recent cowardly terrorist attacks in Pahalgam.
The Need for Social Justice
Considering the social and economic inequalities still prevalent in India, the Congress party believes conducting the caste census in a thorough manner, as suggested by Khague, is crucial to ensuring social and economic justice, as promised in the Preamble of our Constitution.
Khagu notes in the letter that he had written to the PM earlier, but to no avail. He adds that the BJP leaders attacked him and the Congress when they raised this legitimate demand. However, he acknowledges that today, the BJP acknowledges that this cause aligns with deeper social justice and empowerment.
A Long-Awaited Development
The recent approval by India's Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census represents a significant shift in addressing demands for comprehensive caste data that have been ongoing for decades. While Khague's specific suggestions aren't explicitly mentioned in the sources, the broader political context indicates that the opposition parties, including the Congress, have long pushed for a caste census to amplify OBC representation.
This is a big deal, folks. The new census will likely provide the government with the data to revise reservation quotas, particularly for OBCs, and might pressure the government to expand these quotas or redefine eligibility. Additionally, with Bihar and other states heading to polls, caste data may reshape electoral strategies by highlighting the sizeable OBC demographic, a key voting bloc.
So, there you have it. Keep an eye on the developments on this front and let's hope for a positive change for the betterment of our society!
- Mallikarjun Kharge has sparked a potential dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking to implement a caste census, as suggested in his letter on Twitter, which has caused a significant stir.
- Kharge proposed three suggestions for the PM's consideration: adopting the model of Telangana's caste census questionnaire, removing the 50% ceiling on reservations through a Constitutional amendment, and implementing Article 15(5) to allow reservations for disadvantaged groups in private educational institutions.
- Kharge emphasized that any action geared towards ensuring rights for the underprivileged, minorities, and oppressed is not divisive, but rather essential for social and economic justice as promised in the Constitution.
- The recent approval by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census signifies a significant shift in addressing demands for comprehensive caste data, potentially leading to the government revising reservation quotas, particularly for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and reshaping electoral strategies in upcoming state elections like Bihar.
