“We cannot deny caste discrimination in India,” says Jairam Ramesh (File)
The Congress on Sunday asserted that caste census is the only way to ensure equal opportunities for everyone in the country.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said caste has been a socio-economic reality in Indian society for centuries. “We cannot deny the caste discrimination in India and the disadvantages caste at birth brings,” he said in a post on X.
“To make the distribution of economic growth more equitable, we need an examination of asset ownership and people’s representation in the institutions of our democracy,” said Jairam Ramesh.
What is therefore needed is a caste census coupled with a survey of national assets and systems of governance, updated from time to time, he asserted in the post on
“This survey of caste groups, national assets and representation in systems of governance – collectively called a comprehensive socio-economic caste census – is the only solution to ensure an India with equal opportunities for all,” the Congress leader said using the hashtag. “Ginti Karo”.
Why is the caste census a necessity?
1. Caste is a socio-economic reality of Indian society and has been for centuries. We cannot deny the caste-based discrimination in India and the disadvantages caste at birth brings.
2. The caste category in the Census was abolished,… https://t.co/Xl13kBTHnd
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) March 24, 2024
He claimed that the caste category in the census had been abolished, except those relating to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, starting with the 1951 census.
“This was deemed necessary given the challenges facing a newly independent country. The last census due in 2021 has been repeatedly postponed by the Modi government – so we currently lack the latest data even for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.” Ramesh said on X.
In a post on
“India’s richest 1 percent enjoy 22.6 percent of national income, more than during the British Raj, while the poorest 50 percent receive just 15 percent of national income. This has only happened in the last decade of the Modi government. ” he said.
Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the net worth of billionaires grew by over 280 percent between 2014 and 2022, which is ten times the growth rate of national income during the same period.
On the other hand, about 34 percent of households in India earn less than the proposed national minimum wage of Rs 375 per day, he said.
“Therefore, the Congress Party under ‘Hissedari Nyay’ (Participatory Justice) guarantees a comprehensive social, economic and caste census. This will examine the population, socio-economic condition of all castes and communities, their share in national wealth and their The representation in the institutions related to governance and administration.
“This policy of positive discrimination will bring revolutionary changes in the country. Hand (the Congress poll symbol) will change the situation,” Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
Jairam Ramesh in his post on
The socio-economic data is now used for welfare programs but the caste data has never been published by the Narendra Modi government, he said.
‘Over the last three decades, the concerns regarding education and employment in the government and public sector have come to apply not only to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes but also to the other backward classes and the economically weaker sections (EWS ) of the general castes. Currently, data on the various groups falling under these categories and their respective populations are lacking.” Jairam Ramesh said the government cannot plan for social justice without such data on the population in each of these categories. “Hence, a caste census becomes necessary. It is also essential to ensure fairer distribution of reservation benefits within the reserved categories,” he said.
“Looking beyond the population of each caste grouping, the real question we hope to answer is who benefits from rapid economic development, and who bears its costs. Our experience shows that the benefits of growth in India are unevenly distributed,” said Jairam Ramesh.
The Congress has been seeking a nationwide caste census for some time now to ensure equal opportunities for all, irrespective of population.
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