1st September,
2018
PRESS RELEASE
Government should count
population of SC/STs which has increased manifold
I do not agree with the
Government to count O.B.C only as a part of 2021 census. Though the Government
claims that counting of the population belonging to SC/STs is a regular
process, I do not also endorse the figures of the SC/STs population being
released by the Government. The population of SC/STs is much more than what we
get from the data of the Government. Therefore, there is utmost need to get the
genuine figures of the population belonging to SC/STs in our country. I would
insist that the census 2021 should be done which includes all castes whether in
upper class or in the reservation categories.
The people of this nation should know that as to what percentage of
which caste is living in the country. The percentage numbers of upper castes
and other non-reserved category are also vague.
This makes it difficult to empirically prove the extent of dominance
that upper castes have over wealth and power in the country. Caste enumeration will
help the Government in deciding its schemes and policies for the reserved
classes and also puncture the claims of inflated numbers of some castes which
are often claiming their reservation.
Although I am of the firm opinion for annihilation of caste system in
the country as contemplated by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, yet it is a universal truth
that the people are still obsessed with the caste system in this country.
The backward classes,
including the non-Hindu castes and excluding the SCs and STs, constitute 52 per
cent of India’s population, according to the Mandal report. The Commission
recommended a reservation of 27 per cent of jobs and educational facilities for
this 52 per cent population. The OBC bloc feels that the 27 per cent
reservation it gets is inadequate compared to its population figure, which
Mandal Commission had put at 52 per cent after extrapolating 1931 census
figures. No doubt that the proportion of individuals identifying themselves as
OBCs has steadily grown over the years. The National Sample Survey Office data
shows that in 1999-2000 about 36 per cent of the population fell in the
self-identified OBC category and by 2011-12 this proportion had grown to 44 per
cent. If combined with about 9 per cent of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 20 per
cent of the Scheduled Castes (SC) population, the total proportion eligible for
reservation comprises 73 per cent of the Indian population.
The enumeration of only O.B.Cs in the Census seems to be
a mischievous step of the Government to further divide the population. I demand that the Government should ensure
comprehensive data about caste and religion for all the groups, including
forward castes, backward castes and SCs and STs in this Census. Now 90 years have passed when census in 1931
by British rule was conducted for India, which has changed completely, and therefore
to decide our preferential policies for the population we should have a
complete data to rely upon.
-SHARAD
YADAV-
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