DMK president M.K. Stalin has urged the Tamil Nadu government to move and pass a special resolution in the ongoing Assembly session, pressing the Union government to ensure an error-free caste-based population census.
In a statement, Stalin said the Centre’s explanation—that a caste list would not be used to count Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and that the OBC list contains “classes” and not castes—was not acceptable. He argued that a clearer method would be to consult state governments, obtain state-wise lists of castes included under Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes, and allow people to choose from those lists.
Stalin cautioned that simply recording whatever caste name a respondent states could lead to chaotic outcomes, including inflated and confusing counts. He said the purpose of a caste-based census is to determine the actual numbers of OBC communities and understand their educational, social and economic status.
He added that only then can governments frame reservation policies and design necessary welfare schemes. If the current approach continues, he warned, the expenditure of about Rs 12,000 crore and the efforts of lakhs of government employees involved in the census could be wasted.
Stalin called on the Union government to take corrective steps to fulfil the real objective of the caste census, and asked the Tamil Nadu government to convey the sentiments of the state’s people by adopting a resolution and exerting pressure on the Centre.
