NEW DELHI: Amid reports that the PM Modi-led NDA government is likely to begin the process of conducting the long-delayed population census, its ally Janata Dal United JD(U) said that the party will continuously advocate the “noble cause of caste census”.
Though the Union government is likely to begin the census exercise in 2025 and complete it by 2026, there is no clarity on conducting a caste-based census, a long-standing demand by Opposition parties as well as the ruling NDA allies such as JD(U), TDP, Lok Janshakti Party, Republican Party of India (RPI) and Apna Dal.
Speaking to TNIE, JD(U) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP K.C. Tyagi emphasised his party’s long-standing demand for a nationwide caste census. “I hope good sense prevails,” he stated. “We remain steadfast in our call for a nationwide caste census, though we aim to avoid conflict with the government on this issue. Withdrawing support over this is not an option.” Tyagi added that even BJP’s ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), sees caste census as crucial for advancing the welfare of marginalised communities.
“We raised the demand for caste census even when we were an ally of the BJP government in Bihar and when not part of the government. We are continuously advocating for this noble cause. We have conducted a caste survey in Bihar and shown the way to the nation,” said Tyagi.
The JD (U) has been vocal in demanding a nationwide “caste census” and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered a caste-based survey and its findings were made public last year. The survey revealed that other backward and extremely backward classes constituted 63 percent of the state’s population.
In a recent interview, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, another key BJP ally, also expressed support for a caste census, saying it is necessary to “honour the sentiment” of the people. “Caste census, yes, it has to be done. There is sentiment, and there is nothing wrong with it. Conduct a caste census, an economic analysis, and a skills census. Work out how to integrate these elements to reduce economic disparities,” he said.
Another ally, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, has recently voiced his support for a caste-based census. Other NDA allies, including the Republican Party of India (RPI) and Apna Dal, have advocated for the caste census in Parliament.
In earlier interviews with TNIE, RPI chief and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale emphasised his party’s commitment to pushing for a nationwide caste census and pledged to press the Centre on the matter.
The Congress has also strongly backed a caste-based census in recent elections. For senior leader Rahul Gandhi, conducting a nationwide socio-economic caste census has been a central campaign promise, both in the general election and upcoming assembly elections.
Following the reports of the population census, Congress MP Manickam Tagore described the government’s refusal to conduct such a census as a betrayal of OBC communities.
“Modi’s refusal to conduct a caste census is a clear betrayal of OBC communities. By ignoring the voices demanding justice, he’s denying our people their due representation—all because of political arrogance. Will the RSS, JD(U), and TDP stand with the people or remain silent?” he wrote on X.
While reports suggest that the government will begin the delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha seats after the completion of the Census exercise, the issue will raise the hackles of Southern states. A political row broke out recently after AP CM Naidu and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin advocated for people in their states to have more children.
Several Opposition parties from southern states have raised concerns that the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats based on the population may lead to the states losing out in representation as they successfully controlled the population through population control programs.
According to a research paper for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, published ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Northern states may gain more than 32 seats while Southern states may lose 24 seats. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh alone would gain 21 seats, according to the projection. While Tamil Nadu and Kerala taken together will lose 16 seats, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana together may lose 8 seats. The current strength of the Lok Sabha, 543, is based on the 1971 Census. After that, the delimitation exercise was not been done as the 42nd amendment to the Constitution mandated a freeze in delimitation exercise for 25 years until 2001, which was extended by another 25 years till 2026. Under Article 82 of the Constitution, only the Census data after 2026 can be used for the delimitation exercise.
