Chandrababu Naidu urges PM Modi to include backward classes data in census enumeration

In a bid to ensure the development of backward classes (BC) in the state, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and National President of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi beseeching him to include caste data in census enumeration.

The TDP President in the letter stated that the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, under the then Telugu Desam Party-led Government, had passed a resolution for the BC census unanimously. "The same was sent to the Government of India for consideration," Naidu added.

Naidu rue lack of adequate data on backward classes population 

The leader highlighted that the backward classes formed the majority of the population in the country. Naidu also reaffirmed the need for a caste-based census and said, "Despite various Government policies aimed at their welfare and development, BCs continue to live in poverty and deprivation. This is due to the lack of adequate data on their population that also impedes the effectiveness of the implementation of the scheme meant to uplift them. Hence, it is requested to include caste data in census enumeration to ensure targeted welfare and development of BC's."

Naidu also said that the first BC Commission in 1953, the Kalelkar Commission, and the later commissions, including those of the various State governments had all recommended the enumeration of the Backward Classes in the census. "The previous data on the population of castes are as old as 90 years and best described as outdated," Naidu stated.

'Administratively difficult': Centre to SC on the census on backward classes

Several political parties including the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, among others have raised their demand for the caste-based census. It is pertinent to mention here that the Centre had recently submitted an affidavit in the Apex Court stating the census on backward classes is "administratively difficult" and will suffer both on account of completeness and accuracy. The Centre, in an affidavit in the Apex Court maintained that exclusion of any caste other than Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe from the purview of the upcoming 2021 Census is a "conscious policy decision" taken by the Central government. 

The affidavit of the Central government was filed on a petition of the Maharashtra government asking to share census data of OBCs collected by the Centre in the 2011-2013 census.

Inputs: ANI

Image: PTI/ANI