Click to play videoNew Delhi: After seeking permission from the Union Government, for the first time in 75 years, Commission for Economically Backward Classes has started conducting a caste survey.
“Centre has done nothing for the people of the upper caste especially those belonging to the economically backward classes,” says Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.
Taking a cue from the UP Chief Minister, the Congress at the Centre has woken up to stem another breach in its votebank.
So, a nearly defunct Commission for Economically Backward Classes under the Social Justice Ministry has initiated a flurry of activities in the last one month.
The Commission set up to suggest affirmative action for the castes not covered by the reservation policy has sent a questionnaire to all the states seeking caste-based data, information on social and economic conditions of the upper castes, including the landholdings.
“Yes we have sought this data from the state and want them to furnish this by the end of this month,” says Member Secretary of NCEBC, Mahendra Singh.
The last time such caste-based information was collected was in the 1931 census.
In independent India, successive government's have so far refrained from conducting such an exercise. So, the Commission did seek permission from the Union Government before proceeding on this caste data collection exercise.
This data may prove to be politically sensitive in the future and with the reservation debate on, politicians and bureaucrats will definitely fall back on it for policy-making.
(With inputs from Swati Vashishtha)
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