Mumbai: Chorus for caste-based census is growing in Maharashtra, especially after the JDU-RJD government in Bihar launched it despite the BJP’s reservation. This has both political and social ramifications.
The NCP and Congress have made a strong pitch for the census to provide better facilities to the OBCs in the state. Former minister and Samata Parishad founder Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday, in a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has urged that a census should be conducted for OBCs on the lines of Bihar, saying that Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and several other states have also conducted OBC census and their findings were used for the development of the state.
NCP & Congress remind govt of Jan 2020 resolution
Both the NCP and Congress have reminded the State Government that a resolution was passed unanimously on January 8, 2020 in the Legislative Assembly. As per the resolution, “To ensure effective implementation of the provisions for the OBC community, the 14th Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra has recommended to the Centre to conduct a caste-wise census of the community while conducting the general census in 2021.” However, the BJP and the Shinde camp have refrained from making any statement on this issue.
The opposition has argued that development is a constitutional right of OBCs, who are being denied education, employment, health and shelter. The OBCs are backward even after 75 years of independence, they have argued.
“Our demand has been long pending. Census is a subject related to the Centre. However, it has expressed its inability to conduct a separate census of the OBCs. Therefore, the state should conduct a separate census like Bihar,” said Mr Bhujbal.
As per the Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission (MSBCC) headed by Justice (retired) AV Nirgude, appointed by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the OBC population in Maharashtra is 38% and not 33% as pointed out by the Union Ministry of Social Justice in its report released in March 2021. The dedicated commission on OBCs headed by former Chief Secretary Jayant Banthia had said that the population of the backward class of citizens to the total population is estimated to be around 37% and it is different in each local body.
