The complete I.N.D.I. alliance, in collaboration with Congress and Rahul Gandhi, is fervently championing the cause of caste-based census and the principle of ‘proportional representation based on population.’ The caste census figures have been unveiled in Bihar, and amidst this backdrop, Rahul Gandhi has been persistently asserting that the Congress government had carried out a nationwide caste census, calling on the Modi government to disclose its findings. Rahul Gandhi continues to make such assertions, warranting a thorough examination and analysis of his claims and statements.
Rahul Gandhi’s Claim No. 1: Congress Conducted Caste Census, urges Modi Government to Make It Public
The Reality: Congress Did Not Conduct Any Such Census. Rahul Gandhi claims that caste-related statistics were recorded during the 2010-11 census. The Congress government remained in power until 2014. However, the census data was released in 2011. Therefore, the question arises as to when the process of caste-based census was completed. Under which rules was the caste census conducted? When was the notification issued for the caste-based census?
It’s worth noting here that the census is a continuous process governed by constitutional provisions. Officially, there hasn’t been a caste-based census conducted since 1931. Even if the Congress government had initiated such a census, why weren’t the figures released?
Now, let’s discuss the notification regarding the 2010 census. In that notification, there is no mention of the OBCs anywhere. We are providing a copy of the format of that census here.
Moreover, the Congress’s reference to the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) is inaccurate, as the figures from that census are not usable. The Central Government even submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court in 2021 regarding this matter. In response to the Maharashtra government’s petition, the Centre stated in the Supreme Court affidavit that the caste/tribe data in the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census is flawed and not suitable for use.
Before the caste census in Bihar, in 2015, the Congress government in Karnataka also conducted a similar census. However, the reasons why the data from that census was not released remain unknown. In such a scenario, it could be surmised that the top leadership of Congress may have suppressed those figures because they were not favourable to their cause.
Now, the question arises: did Congress refrain from releasing the caste census data because they feared losing their vote bank? If not, then why were these figures not disclosed until 2014? The sudden recall of this census by Congress raises political questions.
Under the leadership of Narendra Modi, the BJP, particularly under the NDA umbrella, has exhibited remarkable performance in general elections, both in 2014 and 2019. The divisive caste-based parties couldn’t make a dent in Narendra Modi’s electoral juggernaut. So far, the opposition has been unable to find a chink in Narendra Modi’s development and nation-first policies. In this light, it seems that the Congress is attempting to challenge Narendra Modi’s dominance in the name of caste-based divisions, even though it doesn’t appear feasible, no matter how many alliances it forms with caste-based and dynastic parties.
Rahul Gandhi’s Claim No. 2: Only 3 OBCs among 90 in Central Secretariat
Rahul Gandhi has been raising the issue of only 3 OBC officers among the 90 officials currently deployed in the Central Secretariat. In this regard, it is essential to ask him first how many OBC officers were appointed in the Central Secretariat during the UPA’s tenure from 2004 to 2014.
Now, let’s explore why the number is low and why it may not be fair to connect it directly to the government. To understand the context of this issue, we need to go back to the times of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. BJP’s National President, JP Nadda, even raised this matter in Parliament. He mentioned that during Pandit Nehru’s tenure, the Kakasaheb Kalelkar report was commissioned. Following that, the Mandal Commission report was introduced during the eras of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi but wasn’t implemented. It finally came into effect in 1990, whereas during the times of Indira and Rajiv, this report remained largely neglected.
JP Nadda further stated that in 1992, the Supreme Court directed the provision of reservations for OBCs in services. Consequently, from 1995-1996 onwards, OBC-SC-ST reservations were initiated in All India Services. The current Cabinet Secretaries were appointed prior to 1992. However, in the coming years, we can expect an increase in the number of OBC Secretaries. This can also be understood by considering that Cabinet Secretaries are the highest-ranking senior officials.
Reaching the position of Cabinet Secretary isn’t something that can happen overnight. Over time, individuals gradually rise through the ranks to attain these senior positions, as JP Nadda emphasised in Parliament. Therefore, Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the Modi government isn’t appointing OBC individuals as Cabinet Secretaries lacks a solid foundation.
Rahul Gandhi’s Claim No. 3: Congress Advocates for the OBC Community’s Welfare
The truth behind Rahul Gandhi’s claim is that Congress has been one of the staunchest opponents of the OBC community. Whenever the question of reservations arises, the Mandal Commission is mentioned. Who commissioned the Mandal Commission? The answer is that it was established during the tenure of Morarji Desai’s Janata Party government in 1979, with its report being published in 1980. The question that arises here is why the Mandal Commission was not implemented during Indira Gandhi’s time from 1980 to 1984 or during Rajiv Gandhi’s term from 1984 to 1989.
In 1990, the Janata Dal government, supported by the BJP from the outside, implemented the Mandal Commission recommendations. In light of this, Rahul Gandhi’s claim has once again proven to be incorrect.
The reality is that the Congress government, by providing reservations to Muslims from within the OBC quota, essentially made a dent in the share meant for OBCs. In various states, including Karnataka and Maharashtra, the Congress government exceeded the prescribed limits for reservations. Even in these states, a portion of the OBC reservation (4%) was allocated to Muslims, a move that underscores the fact that the Congress government hasn’t acted in the best interests of the OBC community but has rather been their biggest adversary. This prompts us all to question whether Congress truly advocates for the welfare of the OBC community.
Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Divide and Rule’ Political Strategy: What Lies Behind It?
As straightforward as this question may seem, its answer is equally tangled. India’s population is undergoing rapid changes, and the game of converting Hindus to Islam and Christianity through various means has been ongoing for some time now. However, there is a catch in this scenario. Those who undergo religious conversion to become Muslims or Christians often continue to identify themselves as Dalits or OBCs on official documents.
To understand the meaning of this, it becomes crucial to know about a judgment from the Madras High Court related to demographic changes and reservations in Kanyakumari.
In early 2022, during the hearing of a case, the Madras High Court remarked, “Talking about religions, there is a demographic change observed in Kanyakumari. Hindus are no longer in the majority of the district since the 1980s. Although the 2011 census indicates that Hindus constitute the largest religious group with 48.5% of the population, this may differ from ground reality. It should be noted that a significant number of Scheduled Caste individuals have converted to Christianity but continue to identify themselves as Hindus to avail of reservation benefits.”
Since Congress has long been associated with the appeasement of Islamic fundamentalists and nurturing Christian missionaries, they are integral components of that ecosystem, which allowed Congress to maintain power for so many years and still serves their interests in anti-India global propaganda. In this context, the attempt is being made through a caste-based census to include those individuals who have already converted to crypto-Christians but continue to identify as Hindus to avail themselves of reservation benefits. Through caste-based census, they aim to integrate these individuals into various categories, thereby depriving genuine Hindu OBC-SC-ST communities of their rightful entitlements.
It’s worth noting that while a caste-based census was conducted in 1931, the census in 1951 omitted the caste column and counted only the population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This change was made because there was a mandate to provide reservations for these communities, and therefore, it was essential to determine their numbers accurately.