Modi govt not interested in caste census: Krishna Mohan Rao
By Anil Kumar Hyderabad: The purpose of a caste census is not merely confined to the reservation issue, but it could actually bring to the fore a larger number of issues, such as information on people who are deprived or the kind of occupations they pursue, which in turn will allow policy makers to prepare […]
By Anil Kumar
Hyderabad: The purpose of a caste census is not merely confined to the reservation issue, but it could actually bring to the fore a larger number of issues, such as information on people who are deprived or the kind of occupations they pursue, which in turn will allow policy makers to prepare a comprehensive policies for them, believes Telangana State Commission for Backward Classes chairman Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao.
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Expressing serious concern over the way the Narendra Modi government was trying to delay the caste census, Rao said the only visibly known proposal that the Centre had put forward for them was that the OBC Commission be given Constitutional status on par with the SC/ST Commission.
In an interaction with Anil Kumar, Krishna Mohan Rao throws light on various issues being faced by people belonging to Other Backward Class(OBC) communities and the growing demand for a caste census.
Q. Why do you think the Centre is delaying the caste census?
A. I Don’t know. Though 15 States, including Telangana, have passed a resolution in their respective State assemblies demanding the Centre to conduct caste census, the Modi government is maintaining silence. The then union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in 2018 promised to conduct a caste census in 2021, but the government failed to do so. We were expecting the Centre to make an announcement in this regard, however, recently union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told Parliament that there was no such proposal.
The UPA government conducted a Socio-Economic and Caste Census in 2011 and implemented it. In 2016, the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Rural Development claimed that the data has been examined and that 98.87 percent data with regard to individuals’ caste and religion is error free.
However, in 2018 the NDA government told the Supreme Court and the Parliament that the caste census data are flawed and cannot be released. This is clearly indicative of the BJP mindset and approach towards the BC population.
Q. What is the need for OBC Census?
A. The Census counts every Indian citizen, but unlike SC/ST, OBCs are clubbed together with other castes and reported in aggregation. Due to this there is no accurate data of their actual population size. Through caste Census the actual population size of OBC could be established and accordingly welfare measures and other benefits could be planned.
Q. How far has the demand for a separate OBC Welfare Ministry come?
A. I have written an open letter to Prime Minister Modi in October explaining to him the need to create a separate ministry for OBC. However, so far I have not received any communication from the PMO. In 2004 Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who was then a union Minister, mobilised the BC leaders from Telangana and organised a meeting with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and asked him to create a separate ministry for OBC. The Chief Minister is still pursuing the matter with the Centre.
Q. What is the Telangana government doing for OBC?
A. After the formation of Telangana, the Chief Minister set up a Most Backward Classes Development Corporation and allocated Rs 1,000 crore budget to take up various welfare activities. Telangana government is spending about Rs 40,000 crore every year on schemes meant for the BCs. CM also organised a meeting of entrepreneurs and industrialists belonging to the BC community and assured all kinds of assistance from his government.
