In Rajya Sabha, Kharge demands caste count without delay

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that the census, including caste-based headcount, be held in the country at the earliest. Raising the issue during special mentions in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, he said that in the past census has been conducted even during war time and there was no reason for delaying it.

Kharge said the first census was conducted in 1881 and this exercise was conducted every decade even during wars, emergencies and difficult times. In the 1931 census, caste was also counted. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress leader said, "Just as we have to undergo periodic medical examination of our body, the census is an important examination of a nation."

He underlined that caste is an extensive exercise involving sizable manpower as not just population but employment, family structure, socio-economic condition, and data related to other key parameters are collected.


"This time, you should also do a caste count as part of the census. The SC and ST count is anyways done, other castes can also be counted. But the government is silent on both the census and caste-census. There has been allocation of only ₹575 crore in this year's budget," Kharge said.

He emphasised that 81% countries of the world had conducted census despite the Covid pandemic.

"Delay in conducting census has far-reaching consequences. Lack of basic data leads to formulation of Tughlaqi policies," he said, adding that along with consumer surveys, National Family Health Survey, Periodic Labour Force Survey, National Food Security Act and National Social Assistance Programme survey and many important welfare programs depend on census figures.

"Even during World War-II and the 1971-72 Indo-Pakistan war, census was conducted but this time, the government has done a record delay in doing it," Kharge said.

He underlined that the policy-makers do not have important and credible data. Crores of citizens have been kept out of the reach of welfare schemes. He insisted that the general and caste census be conducted at the earliest.