Caste census aim must be welfare, not politics: RSS

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, (RSS) has supported the idea of

caste census

asserting that collection of caste data has already been going on and is a “well-practiced” effort by the govt but it should always be aimed at uplifting communities and never be treated as a “political tool” to gain electorally.
“RSS thinks… yes definitely for all

welfare

activities, particularly addressing a particular

community

or caste which is lagging behind.

For which special attention is needed. For that, if some govt needs the numbers it is very well practiced,” Sangh’s chief spokespeson Sunil Ambekar said on Monday in what can potentially have a bearing on govt’s decision on whether to have caste-wise enumeration in the long-delayed decennial census.
The stand, coming amid a growing demand by opposition parties and govt’s studied silence, is significant in view of certain Sangh-friendly quarters that the sudden clamour for caste-wise count with parties like Congress reversing their opposition to the idea through decades since independence, was meant to impede unity among Hindus.
Ambekar who was speaking to reporters in Kerala’s Palakkad, on the conclusion of the three-day coordination meeting of Sangh-affilates, including BJP, acknowledged the worry. “As Hindu society, we have the senstive issues of caste and caste relations. Of course it’s an important issue of our national unity and integrity. So it should be dealt with very seriously and not just on the basis of

practices or

politics

.”

Ambekar said caste census should not become a political tool for electioneering and that it should only be put to use for the welfare of communities. “If the govt needs numbers, it takes… earlier also it has taken; no problem. But it should be only to address the welfare of those communities and castes,” he added. The RSS statement came after the deliberations which were attended by BJP chief J P Nadda and general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh-an indication that all Sangh Parivar bodies may be on the same page on the issue. Caste and related issues were widely discussed in the three-day-long ‘Samanvaya Baithak’.

RSS backing to caste census comes when Parliament’s Committee on Welfare of OBCs included caste census on its agenda, following strong demand from members that it be discussed by the panel. The topic was adopted after BJP ally JD(U) supported the demand raised by DMK and Congress, among others.
The committee, headed by senior BJP MP Ganesh Singh, is learnt to have shortlisted caste census, review of the National Commission for Backward Classes, and the performance of Union ministries and departments with regard to OBC welfare, among other issues for deliberations.
The three-day meeting in Palakkad, RSS sources said, deliberated upon several national issues and also organisational changes to be effected in the next few days not only in Sangh but also in its affiliated organisations.
“The benchmarks for roles and responsibilities to be assigned in the next few days were discussed in detail and organisational changes will start reflecting in the next few days,” an RSS functionary said. Ambekar also said that during meeting, members had a discussion on the recent rape-murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.