Speaking in the national convention on “Caste Census: betrayal of Parliament” at VP House, Rafi Marg, New Delhi on 24th July, I recalled that 24 years ago I had welcomed V P Singh at Delhi University Maurice Nagar Chowk on 24th July, 1987 to raise and represent youth’s voice against corruption, which was symbolized by Bofors deal. He had instantly become national symbol of fight against corruption. However, he was constantly demeaned after he implemented Mandal Commission in 1991. Nevertheless, V P Singh occupies an important place in the OBC Reservation in India. Similarly the role of Shri Arjun Singh deserves to be mentioned also.
But speaking on census first.
Caste Census would never have been an issue in India, to the extent it has become, had it not been clubbed with the decision to ascertain the count of OBC’s in India. A group of reactionary individuals who use the nemesis of “Equality”, though are ardent supporters and perpetuators of Brahmanical Inequality, have raised several irrelevant questions on Mandal Commission fixing 54% as the count for OBC. They have used all arguments on why Mandal Commission was not required to fix the OBC percentage, “It is obvious that the Kalelkar Commission was required to prepare a list of Socially and Educationally Backward classes setting out their approximate number. On the contrary, the Mandal commission was required only to determine the criteria for defining the SEBCs.”
They allege that Mandal Pre-judged OBC headcount. Continuing the disinformation they say, “Before the Mandal Commission’s survey, Lohia claimed that the OBC population was 60%. Mandal was a follower of Lohia, and he has to prove it to be true as his political career thrived on this fact." They have pointed to the report in The Pioneer (October 22, 2006 ):
“In a startling revelation, chairman of the technical committee of the Mandal Commission and noted social scientist Professor BK Roy Burman has said that Mandal had already fixed the OBC population at 54 per cent before their panel could carry out any scientific survey”.
Ans thus they concluded,
“Thus , the figure of 52% is a work of imagination, that too crude.”
To rest such crude arguments, it has to be pointed out that their argument is self-contradictory. Infact, Shri Kelkar under rebuke from Nehru, himself rubbished the report submitted by him, and the report was never taken-up again in the Parliament. So, Shri B P Mandal had to begin afresh, lest the report submitted by him did not meet the same fate. Secondly, those who know the turn of events when Mandal became Chief-Minister of Bihar, one of the first from the backward classes, at least in Bihar, he became so by going against Lohia. More-over, Mandal had to prove nothing to Lohia, that too several years after the death of Lohia! Misinformation against B P Mandal and the report submitted by him began right after its implementation in 1991, and infact, I issued one of the first clarification to these mischievous designs in an article “In the Eye of the Storm”, published in the then most reputed English Weekly, The illustrated weekly of India, a Times of India publication in 1991.
Now with main argument being that the figures of OBC is inflated by Mandal Commission and unrealistic logically the Caste census should be the answer to bring out a closer picture. Infact, what better decision would have been there, then to hold Caste Census. But the same contractors of “Equality”, have become paranoid and are opposing the caste count tooth and nail, to the extent of calling the step as dangerous and out to dismember India. It’s another way to have their cake and eat it too.
Speaking at the Conference JD(U) leader Shri Sharad Yadav said that the assurance to Parliament on Caste census has taken several beatings. First, it was said that it would be a part of second round of information sought as per Census act. Then, it was handed to Urban Affairs Ministry, later to Rural Affairs Ministry to be clubbed with survey on BPL head-count to know the poverty, which ironically Government has not been able to find out inspite of several agencies and several years! Lately, it is being said that caste survey would be conducted by those under NAREGA! It’s height of joke being played with the assurance to the Parliament, which Sharad Yadav continued that Pranab Mukherjee categorically stated that it would be in the format submitted by Sharad ji. Infact, one arm of the government does not know what the other is doing, so, while Pranab Da is giving assurances, Chidambaram is busy scheming!
Shri Ram Vilas Paswan speaking on the issue in the convention was categorical in stating that unity of dalits, OBC, minority will be the only factor which will force the Government to have caste census. He said that “Creamy-layer provision too had to be challenged. Infact, Several political leaders and academicians, who addressed a National Convention on "Caste Census : betrayal of Parliament", organised by Janhit Abhiyan at Speakers Hall, V P House, Rafi Marg, New Delhi today accused the Union Government of having cheated by going back on assurance given to Parliament of India on the question of Caste census. Learned academician Prof Gail Omvedt went to extent of calling the exercise on caste census by Government of India as "Fraud" and said that it was lost case for those hopeful of caste census, who now had to pin hope for the same in the 2021 census. While leaders like Sh Ram Vilas Paswan, Sh Sharad Yadav, Sh Ali Anwar said that if the convention was anything but a reflection of public opinion of the majority on this issue, then the Government should better watch out before misleading the members on the farce they are upto in the name of conducting census on caste, as per the promise made to Parliament of India. They warned the Government to amend during the coming session of Parliament.
The convention was addressed by Sh Ram Vilas Paswan, Sh Sharad Yadav, Janab Ali Anwar, MP, Sh Uday Pratap Singh, MP, Sh Karan Singh Yadav, former MP, Sh Raghu Yadav, Dr M. Vijayanunni, Former Census Commissioner & Registrar General of India and Former Chief Secretary of Kerala, Sh Dilip Mandal, Writer and Freelance Journalist, Prof Subodh Narain Malakar, JNU, Sh Suraj Yadav, Associate Professor, SSN College, DU, Sh BS Yadav, Sh KK Yadav, Dr V K Singh, Sh Prabhash Chandra Yadav, Advocate. Dr Sushma Yadav, Head of Dr B R Ambedkar Chair, IIPA, New Delhi conducted the Convention while Sh Raj Narain was the main organiser.
Coming to the assurance given in the Parliament, we know that it’s another matter that Parliament has failed in its duties and role. At the time of zamindari abolition and nationalisation of banks (the first under Pandit Nehru, the second under Indira Gandhi) the judiciary intervened on points of propriety. Both Nehru and Indira asserted and got the legislation through.
The extensive criminalisation of politics, now it has turned to politicisation of crime.Earlier, politicians used criminals for their purposes. Now the criminals, instead of working for politicians, have themselves joined politics.
Mahatma Gandhi who, in exasperation, said about a similar situation, “How long can the people tolerate?” The impasse in current Parliament was testing the nerves of the people of India, whose money was being drained by reckless MPs.
This august institution was in decline as shown by many indicators,the decline is qualitative and quantitative. Earlier, 49 percent of Parliament’s time was spent in law-making. Now it had come down to 13 percent.
So, assurance given to this body, i.e., the Parliament is bound to be empty, and no protest shall come on it also. And what can we expect from Parliament, where the two channels working under it, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha channels do not honour the Reservations, and there is no protest from Hon’ble Members on it.
The Caste Census is bound to have several stumbling block, and every time the decision is to be implemented every upper caste interpreter will have his own version and ways to derail it.
