Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief and Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan expressed strong support for a caste-based census in India, asserting that it is essential for ensuring fair representation and addressing the deep-rooted discrimination.
He was speaking at Powering Bharat organised by Network18 in collaboration with Moneycontrol, News18 India, and CNBC Awaaz.
During an interaction with Moneycontrol, Paswan said that the census will give policy makers the data required to uplift those who face discrimination based on caste.
“I support the caste census because our society is still divided on caste and that leads to an environment of discrimination in society. Even today a Dalit is not allowed to ride a horse because of their caste.”
Paswan also criticized political parties across the spectrum for exacerbating caste divisions. “Many political parties are responsible for dividing people on caste,” he said.
Calling the caste census a vital tool for inclusive governance, he said, “Caste census will help in fair representation in every sector.” He also reiterated his support for caste-based reservation, adding, “I want the reservation process to be strengthened further.”
In April, the Centre had announced that caste census will be part of the upcoming national census exercise.
A caste census involves the enumeration of the population based on caste identities during the national census exercise. Conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner under the Ministry of Home Affairs, this process typically involves individuals or households self-reporting their caste affiliations.
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