The Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passes a resolution asking the center to conduct a caste census

New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu state assembly on Wednesday (June 26) unanimously passed a resolution urging the central government to immediately start work on the census, including a caste-based census. The move is significant as it comes after a long delay in the census, which was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The resolution proposed by Prime Minister MK Stalin emphasized the importance of conducting a caste census, which has long been demanded by various political parties and social organizations in the country. Census data is crucial for the government to formulate policies and programs for the welfare of various communities, especially the marginalized and backward classes.

“This House considers that a caste-based census is necessary to formulate a policy to ensure equal rights and equal opportunities in education, economy and employment to every citizen of India,” the resolution said.

Stalin in his speech stressed the importance of caste-based census data for ensuring equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. He stressed that the lack of accurate data resulted in neglect of certain communities, which perpetuated social and economic inequalities.

“This House considers that a caste-based census is necessary to formulate policies to ensure that every citizen of India has equal rights and equal opportunities in education, economy and employment,” Stalin said. Business line.

He added, “Therefore, this House unanimously urges the Center to immediately commence the census work, which is expected to begin in 2021, this time taking into account the caste population.”

Also read: Why caste census? The answer lies in wealth disparities and the quality of neighborhoods

During the debate, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) MP R. Arul expressed opposition to the Prime Minister’s resolution, suggesting that the state government had the power to conduct the caste census on its own. However, Law Minister S. Regupathy objected that while the state government could collect caste data under the Statistical Data Collection Act, 2008, the Census Act took precedence and superseded this power, This Hindu reported.

The resolution received wide support from MLAs of various political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and was subsequently passed by the house. It is worth noting that the main opposition party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which also supported the resolution, was absent during the vote as its members had earlier been suspended for disrupting the proceedings. Economic times reported.

The demand for a caste census has been one of the major issues raised by the opposition, especially the INDIA Alliance, in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Politicians like Stalin and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi have repeatedly demanded a nationwide caste census. Gandhi even said that if the Congress comes to power, the first task of the new government will be to conduct a caste census.