Clarify position on 'omission' of OBC category in census: Nagpur Congress leader to BJP

Nagpur, Jul 6 (PTI) Congress' Nagpur city chief Prafulla Gudadhe on Monday said BJP's OBC leaders must clarify their stance on the population census, amid confusion over whether the nationwide exercise will record caste identities or follow a category-based count excluding the Other Backward Classes. Talking to reporters here, he said it is essential to conduct enumeration in a scientific manner to ensure social and economic justice and BJP's OBC leaders should clarify their position on the population census. The first phase of the census -- the household enumeration -- is underway, but there is a doubt whether the count will be a caste census or whether a category-based exercise excluding OBCs, he stated. He pointed out that according to the Constitution, there are four social groupings -- Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), OBCs and Others (Open). However, in the household enumeration, the OBC category has been excluded. The Congress leader insisted excluding the OBC category from the census is an extremely serious matter. "We believe a scientifically sound, listed, comprehensive and inclusive census is the foundational basis for the development process of a vast nation like India. This principle is recognized worldwide. The Constitution framers placed the idea of justice in a sequence social, economic and political. This shows their intention that social justice forms the foundation of economic justice," Gudadhe argued. "In a country of such variety, it is essential to conduct social enumeration in a scientific manner to ensure social and economic justice. Otherwise, there is a genuine fear that mere superficial statistical information will marginalize deprived OBC groups from the national development process," he stated. Excluding the OBC category from the census is an ominous sign and tramples the values mandated by the Constitution framers for social and economic justice, individual dignity, and equality of opportunity, he maintained. He said there are many politicians in the BJP who present themselves as OBC leaders. "They try to assume a patron role by saying they alone stand for OBC interests. But when it comes time to take a stand for OBCs, we find that they do not take any position. At election time they present themselves as OBC leaders and try to show the BJP is the party of the OBCs," Gudadhe opined. "I have written a letter to OBC leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party. In my capacity as president of the Nagpur City Congress Committee, I have asked prominent OBC leaders of Vidarbha, including Maharashtra minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, to clarify their position regarding the omission of the OBC group in the census," he stated. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe insisted that without OBC headcount in the census, they cannot be accommodated in any centrally-sponsored schemes, state social welfare programmes, services, and budgetary provisions. PTI CLS RSY