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News India Live, Digital Desk: The mercury of politics has been raised these days in Karnataka, a large state of South India. The government of Karnataka has now decided to conduct ‘caste census’, but controversy has arisen over this decision. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has directly alleged that it is a conspiracy to divide Hindus on the basis of religion and caste. So what is this caste census and why there is so much uproar about it? Let’s understand.
What is this caste census and why is it happening?
Caste census is a survey in which social and educational information of people is gathered. Its aim is to understand the number of people of every caste, their economic status and social level in the state. The Karnataka government says that this survey will help all sections of the society to get their rights, ensure social justice and make the government’s schemes to the people in a better way. For some time, the demand was also arising that such information is necessary for changes in the existing reservation system and identification of sections involved in it.
Why does BJP object to this?
The Bharatiya Janata Party has raised a strong objection to this survey. BJP says that this is a completely election stunt and its real aim is to divide the society only to collect votes.
- Accused of dividing Hindus: Many BJP leaders have described it as an attempt to divide Hindus directly into castes. They believe that it will create estrangement among religious communities.
- Electoral advantage: BJP believes that the ruling party is doing vote bank politics through this. The results of the survey can be introduced in such a way that certain caste groups can benefit politically.
- ‘Anti -public’ agreement: The BJP argues that such survey creates unnecessary social stress among the people and diverts the attention of the government from the real issues.
This survey started in 2015 itself, when there was a Congress government led by Siddaramaiah in Karnataka. The survey was then conducted by the ‘Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission’ and was named ‘Social and Educational Survey’. But that report was never made public. Now the current government is preparing to release this report or conduct a new survey, which has once again warmed this issue.
In India, many states, especially in Bihar, caste census has taken place, after which there have been big debates about reservation and social justice. In Karnataka too, this survey can change many political equations and it can have a major impact on the upcoming elections. While on the one hand, the ruling party is calling it an important step towards ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, the BJP is making a scathing attack by calling it ‘politics of society’ and ‘politics of vote’.