Counting for inclusion: Why a robust caste census matters

On the birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his government's unwavering commitment to the ideals of social justice and equity.

- PRADEEP BHANDARI

In keeping with this vision, the decision to undertake a caste census marks yet another historic contribution towards empowering India's underprivileged sections.

The Congress party, on the other hand, has a long and troubled history of treating caste not as a tool for empowerment but as a means for short-term electoral gains. Indira Gandhi, while projecting slogans like "Na jaat par na paat par, mohar lagegi haath par," firmly opposed a caste census. Her successor, Rajiv Gandhi, shelved the Mandal Commission report for years and, more significantly, failed to confer constitutional status to the OBC Commission—a status that was later granted under Prime Minister Modi's leadership. Notably, Rajiv Gandhi's longest speech in Parliament was not in support of social justice but against the implementation of the Mandal recommendations.

Today, Rahul Gandhi and his supporters seek to appropriate credit for the Modi government's decision to conduct a caste census. A closer look at history, however, reveals the truth. The practice of conducting a caste census in India dates back to 1881 and continued till 1931. Although caste data was collected in 1941, it was never released. Post-Independence, between 1951 to 2011, census exercises recorded data only for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, systematically excluding OBCs.