CHENNAI: Welcoming the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah that BJP is not against conducting caste census and that a decision would be taken on this after extensive consultations with all on this issue, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss on Saturday said, “The caste census may take place in mid-2024.”
“If the Central government intends to conduct a caste census, it should commence the consultations right now by forming a commission and getting its report within six months. Only then, the people can believe that the BJP has an open mind for conducting the census,” Ramadoss said.
In a statement here, Ramadoss said BJP which has been reiterating that the caste census would increase caste differences among the people, now changing its stance is a good sign. However, the BJP’s present stance should not have been eyeing on forthcoming Assembly polls in five states.
The PMK founder recalled that Rajnath Singh, during his tenure as Union Home Minister, had promised to examine the possibility of conducting the OBC census along with the 2021 decadal census. “But that promise was flown to the winds. The present stance of BJP should not be like the one given by Rajnath Singh,” he said.
The PMK has been pressing the state government to take concrete steps towards conducting a comprehensive caste census. The aim is to ensure that reservations for OBC and SC/ST communities are allocated per their population size. To deliberate on the significance of conducting a caste census, the PMK on Thursday held a meeting in Chennai.
Legal experts have expressed the opinion that the state government possesses the authority to conduct a caste census under the provisions of the Collection of Statistics Act.
OBC, SC/ST REPRESENTATION BASED ON WITH POPULATION
The PMK has been pressing the state government to take concrete steps towards conducting a comprehensive caste census. The aim is to ensure that reservations for OBC and SC/ST communities are allocated per their population size