New Delhi, August 07: The BJP favours caste column in the census rather than OBC-based census, toeing the line indicated by the RSS. The RSS was initially opposed to caste-based census, but later on, revisiting its own stand, the Sangh took the position that caste-based census was preferable over OBC-based census. Thereby it facilitated the BJP to finalise its own stand on the issue.
The BJP now favours a caste column, leaving it, however, to the government to decide to use it whenever and wherever necessary, but with the rider not to disturb the integrity of the headcount.
Replying to the query made by Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj wrote to him on Friday, “We agree that the caste should be canvassed in such a manner and at such stage so that it does not affect the integrity of the head count (census).”
She said that the BJP had already clarified its stand in Lok Sabha and it reiterated that caste could be canvassed in the ongoing census/NPR exercise.
–Agencies–