Mysuru: Caste Census is a challenge to the government as the very word triggered speculations among the communities that are grouped under backward community opined K Deepak President District Journalists Association here on Tuesday.
He was speaking after inaugurating a seminar on Caste based census organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations, Backward Class Commission and District Journalists Association at Press Club.
Speaking on the occasion he said, “There is a diversified opinion on the concept. It is also called a census based on socio economic status of the communities, which are the major determinants of reservation. The very term is seen in a different perspective, it is a bane, culture and status to some but more than that it has a major role to play in determining the status of the exploited communities. It is a challenge to the government as all the plans and programmes are framed based on the political will of the ruling party. We have observed many who avail housing facilities showing fake documents misusing caste and we will have to see how far this census is impartial and helps the public”.
Emphasizing on the importance of Caste Census Prof. N Usharani, Department of studies in Mass Communication and Journalism said that Caste census is a welcome step in a diversified society like India. A study shows that as many 262 communities in Karnataka have no political representation so far. The census will identify such communities and help government frame effective policies and schemes to empower them. The caste census is not only about caste as it is being out to be. It will also look into the socio-economic data of all communities. Any good policies of state or central government will succeed only if there is a reliable data. I am sure the census will have far-reaching consequences on Karnataka’s growth in the years to come.
Further she said that there is a dearth of statistics in our country. We have been failing to document our origin and this might have also affected the concept of development. If we have a clear documentation on each caste and their present status we can review over the reservation and such other concepts their by changing the definition of development in the country. If the survey is conducted in an impartial way I way sure this won’t even give any boost to vote bank politics about which all of us are worried.
A R Prakash Deputy Director Department of Information and Public Relations , G S Somashekar District Officer Backward Community Welfare Department, Dr. Shivappa Associate Professor Department of Studies in Social Works . C J Rajeeva Sub Editor Vijaya Karnataka were present.
