[Attachment(s) from Dr. R.B.Bhagat included below]
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Dear Friends,
This is an interesting commentary on Caste Census. If interested in Colonial Census and Caste, please read the article enclosed herewith in a PDF file.
In independent India, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) were accepted as new official social categories under the provision of article 341 of the Indian Constitution. According to this article, the President of India, after consultation with the Governor of a State/Union Territory (UT), may declare castes, races or tribes or parts of or groups within castes, races of tribes as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes belonging to that State or UT.
The official listing of castes and tribes was justified on the grounds that these social groups have remained underprivileged and discriminated by the higher castes. It was therefore essential for the state to protect their interest. Accordingly, the Govt. of India as well State Governments granted them reservation of jobs and other benefits and privileges. It is believed that the state granting privileges to the SCs and STs has strengthened caste identities. On the other hand, democratic politics based on number gave them a new lease on life, as they constitute nearly one-fourth of India's population (Randeria, 2001).
In the censuses of independent India, religion is justified for inclusion on the grounds that the official categorization of SCs is crucially linked with the religious status of a person (see Table 2). At present as per Presidential order only Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhist can be enumerated as a SC. It is worthwhile to mention that notwithstanding the government's constitutional commitment to secular principles, religion is not only enumerated, but paradoxically only selective demographic data on the size and growth of religious populations7 were published until the 2001 census. This created enough misconception about the role of religion in population growth and consequently fed into the charged communal situation in the country (Bhagat, 2001).
with best regards
R.B.Bhagat
Professor
International Institute for Population Sceinces
Mumbai-4000 88
Attachment(s) from Dr. R.B.Bhagat 1 of 1 File(s)
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