In Marathi, there is a saying, Jaat kadhi jaat nahi… which means Caste never leaves you. And the saying is especially true when much of the politics in the country revolves around this Caste factor. Why are we talking about it again?
Well, that’s because the caste census demand is back. You can imagine how important the caste issue is to the Hindi heartland politics that it even unite the erstwhile rivals, Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav. A cross-party delegation led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning to discuss the conduct of a caste-based census (in the state and across the country) and called on him to take “the appropriate decision”.
Members included RJD chief and Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav; Congress leader Ajeet Sharma and those from Left parties; and Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Chief Minister and President of the Hindustani Awam Morcha. Now even though the BJP at the Centre has rejected the idea of Caste Based Census before, a representative of the state unit, that too a sitting minister in Bihar Govt Janak Ram was present there.
The delegation had reminded the Prime Minister that the Bihar Assembly has twice passed resolutions on holding a caste-based census.
After the meeting, the leaders said they are awaiting a response from the Prime Minister. Tejashwi Yadav, leader of opposition in the Bihar Assembly said that If animals and trees can be counted, so can people… a caste census will be a historic, pro-poor measure. The delegation also apparently told the Prime Minister that if the center feared a caste-based census would lead to tension, collecting information on religion should also be avoided.
Now, not only parties from Bihar, if you remember, even other opposition parties in the parliament during monsoon session supported the demand for caste-based census.
There are also hush-hush murmurs from within the BJP in favour of the Caste Census. But BJP govt at the centre is bit vary of it.
Many fear that if Caste Census is allowed, it will lead to Mandal 2.0 in Indian politics.
What is the Caste Census? Why The Demand for caste census? and What is the fuss over Mandal 2.0? We will discuss in the video today.
#CasteCensus #Mandal2.0 #NandalCommission #VPSingh #OBC #Bihar #Nitish Kumar #TejashwiYadav #OppositionUnity
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