People of Karnataka welcome caste census; say it will aid development of people, nation
Bangalore: As the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a caste census along with the upcoming General Census, residents of Karnataka’s Vijaypur and Dharwad have expressed strong support for the decision.
IANS spoke to several locals in these regions, who shared their perspectives on how the caste census could benefit the people and the nation as a whole.
Nagraj Nayak, one Kannadiga said, “As the PM Modi-led government has approved the caste census, it’s a big step forward. The Congress kept saying that the BJP is against the caste census, however, the party and PM Modi are taking steps that are in the best interest of the country.”
Prithviraj, another local from Vijaypur added, “The caste census is good for the people of India. It will help improve the economic situation of different communities.”
Omkar, another resident of Vijaypur said, “The decision taken by the Centre to conduct a caste census is a positive move. This decision should have been made earlier. It’s important for both the development of the people and the nation.”
Pramod, another local, said, “Amid high-voltage political discussions, PM Modi has made the bold move to go ahead with a caste census. I welcome this step. The Congress is stating that the BJP has only approved it because of the upcoming Bihar elections, but I want to remind Rahul Gandhi that in 2006, the Congress itself opposed the caste census. The BJP had even advised Congress to carry out the caste census but not to use it for political gain or manipulate the caste numbers. A caste census should be conducted every 10 years.”
“The last national census was held in 2011, and the next was due in 2021, but it was delayed due to COVID-19 and various elections. Now, the central government has made a timely and transparent decision. A genuine caste census will be conducted in 2025 along with the national census,” he said.
Sachin Kothar, another local resident, added, “The caste census is essential. It will help us understand the demographic composition of different castes in the country, which is crucial for planning welfare schemes and ensuring social justice.”
The Census is a decennial population-based survey that began in 1872 under Viceroy Lord Mayo, with the first complete census conducted that year. Since 1951, it has been conducted under the 1948 Census of India Act by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The 2021 Census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.