Editorial: Counting heads- Caste conundrum

The clamour for enumerating castes almost invariably comes up before the decadal conduct of the Census. Traditionally, such demands have been raised by members who represent regional parties with a strong backward class representation; politicians and parties with sizeable upper caste support have been generally opposed to the idea. 

However, there is a significant difference this time around. The ruling BJP, which has earlier opposed the caste census, appears to have changed tack, declaring that it supports the idea as a matter of principle. It is not clear whether this shift in stand represents a genuine change of heart or if it is merely a clever posture to strike, at a time when elections are due in five States, including the all-important Uttar Pradesh. But either way, the political climate for counting castes has never been more favourable. 

A major reason for this is the shifting demographic of support for the BJP. Once, a party that was regarded as representing the upper castes, its victories – particularly in the 2019 general elections – was cobbled together with critical support from the backward classes (BC) and other backward classes (OBC). A recent study estimated that as much as a staggering 61 per cent of the OBC community voted for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. It is numbers like this that has forced a rethink within the party on the caste census issue. To keep flatly refusing it, particularly at a time when an ally such as Nitish Kumar is at the forefront in pushing for one, may seem like not only bad optics but also bad politics for the party. Since 1931, only Scheduled Castes have been enumerated and listed in the Census. To add OBCs in the mix may seem like a simple straightforward issue, but it is anything but that. The practical problems in doing this include the fact that there is no clarity on how this should go ahead, given the existence of a Central list for OBCs and other varying lists recorded by States. A person in an OBC list in one State may be in an SC list in another. 

In 2011, the Ministry of Rural Development conducted a Socio-Economic Caste Census. While the economic aspect of the data was released, the caste data is still not published, leading to allegations that the data is being hidden away. One of the worries about enumerating all castes is that the agitations and demands over reservations will explode, as it did during the Mandal agitation. It is by no means clear that such data will help in achieving the greater objective – the annihilation of caste. 

On the one hand, having caste data could help in targeting groups when it comes to dispensing welfare measures. On the other, there is the risk of falling into a familiar trap – embracing casteist politics in the name of breaking down caste barriers. It is a conundrum that India has struggled with for some decades now.