Caste census and changing narratives in Indian politics

The National Democratic Alliance government (NDA) has decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census.

- Badri Narayan

Census with caste as a detail was a colonial invention, now being reinvented by post-colonial governance and given a new meaning and context. The census with caste enumeration — popularly called caste census — has both symbolic and substantial values. As a symbolic act, it may sharpen caste-based identity assertion in both politics and policymaking. However, it will also generate rich data and details that can help in framing policies for the equal and equitable distribution of material and political resources in society.

The caste census is also likely to reshape people's priorities, from a mere aspiration for development (read public resources) to assertion for representation and, through that, development among various under-represented social groups. It may also lead to an unfolding of caste and sub-caste identities and reshaping of society in an equitable manner in the long-run.

This decision of the Narendra Modi government has major political implications. First, it is likely to demolish the political and electoral strategies of the Congress-led anti-BJP Opposition, which was aiming to use caste census to mobilise OBCs and other marginal communities. They will need to reframe their political strategy, especially in Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year.