Opposition, JD(U) MPs want discussion on caste census in Parliamentary OBC panel

The demand was raised at the first meeting of the Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes after it was reconstituted earlier this month. The meeting was called to decide on subjects the panel would deliberate during its tenure.

New Delhi: Opposition I.N.D.I.A. MPs and a JD(U) lawmaker, an NDA ally, on Thursday demanded a discussion on caste census in a Parliamentary panel dealing with issues of OBCs and calling officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to gather information on it, sources said.

The demand was raised at the first meeting of the Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes headed by BJP MP Ganesh Singh after it was reconstituted earlier this month. The meeting was called to decide on subjects the panel would deliberate during its tenure.

Sources said senior DMK MP T R Baalu raised the issue first at the meeting and he was supported by Congress’ Manickam Tagore and Trinamool Congress’ Kalyan Banerjee. JD(U)’s Giridhari Yadav also supported the demand.

Tagore wanted the committee to list caste census as the first subject for deliberations while Yadav and Banerjee echoed him. Sources said the Trinamool MP also wanted the panel to write to the MHA on conducting a caste census.

Sources said a BJP MP demanded that the OBC quota should also cover recruitment done on contract and temporary basis and ad-hoc appointments.

The MPs wanted the MHA officials to explain to the panel what measures have been taken by the government to initiate caste census, sources said.

At the meeting, sources said, there was also discussion on how OBC reservation is implemented among union government posts, including those in IAS and IPS.

The issue of caste census has been highlighted by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, especially during the Lok Sabha elections campaign which appeared to have a resonance among voters, particularly those from backward communities. The BJP had subtly acknowledged the campaign as one of the reasons for its unimpressive numbers in the Lok Sabha.

The demand at the Parliamentary panel also comes at a time the government is expected to announce a schedule for the much-delayed Census 2021.

Congress has already demanded that the government should conduct the caste count along with the Census operations.