Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Apna Dal (S) Chief Anupriya Patel has welcomed the decision to enumerate caste in the census and feels this will help the government formulate data driven policies for the intended beneficiaries. In an interview to Rakesh Mohan Chaturvedi, she slammed Rahul Gandhi and the Congress for claiming credit for this decision. Excerpts.
Do you think this caste census decision has come after a long delay?
As far as our government is concerned this is the first time that we have an opportunity to conduct a census. To enumerate caste with the general census is a big, bold and historic decision that the Modi government has taken. The previous governments had an opportunity to hold caste census so many times and this has been a long pending demand. The UPA government never took this initiative. They may be talking about it now when they are in the Opposition. My party has been demanding this and it is integral to our agenda of social justice.’
Rahul Gandhi had pressed for a caste census in Parliament. How much credit goes to the Opposition for this decision?
There was no pressure at all. This is our third term and in these 11 years so many decisions were taken for social justice and the Opposition had no role to play. Granting Constitutional status to OBC Commission and implementing the OBC quota in NEET-PG admissions are prime examples. These issues were being raised for a long time during UPA rule too but they did not pay heed to it. We have a track record of taking decisions that directly benefit marginalized communities. This is another step in that direction. Opposition has no moral ground to claim credit.
Moreover, parties within the NDA family like my party Apna Dal (S) and JDU have been raising this issue. We talked to the prime minister on this. Opposition may try to take credit. We are not in that war to take credit. We are committed to social justice and this is another step towards it.
You feel caste census will ensure data driven social justice. Do you think reservation can be increased in proportion to the population of OBCs?
This data is not being collected keeping reservation in view. Caste based discrimination is a reality and caste is a critical determinant of socio-economic inequities in society. There is a huge population of SC/ST/OBC which has been left behind. Government benefits do not reach the intended beneficiaries (due to lack of data) who need it the most. The aim of this exercise is to collect authentic data to know the exact number and the extent of inequalities. This will help in framing our policies and programs so that welfare reaches where it is needed the most. We are not doing it for any political advantage.
How do you see the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC)?
The SECC was a mockery. Congress did not have a clear intent of holding a caste count which is why despite the formation of the Group of Ministers, it did not hold a full-fledged caste census. There were so many methodical errors and flaws. Around 46 lakh caste figures came up and the data was so confusing it could never be published. They created the impression that caste census cannot be held.
We will make sure that all these technical flaws and barriers are taken care of. We will hold this census in a very transparent and systematic manner so that we have facts and figures which can be interpreted and utilized for the larger good.
What about the view that the government has announced this keeping the forthcoming Bihar elections in mind.
Our political opponents have no valid argument. This country has some election or the other taking place all the time. This year we have Bihar, next year we have Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, the year after there is election in my state Uttar Pradesh. So irrespective of when you announce it this argument will be made. The marginalized communities have waited very long. For 75 years we have not had a caste census. We have done it and that is what matters. We walked the talk.
In UP and also in Bihar, parties like SP and RJD have also been demanding a caste census. They can also claim credit now.
SP and RJD were part of the UPA government. Why did they not raise it earlier and if they did why did their prime minister not agree to it? They failed, we succeeded. When the intent is clear, you succeed. When not, you fail. Also, these parties ruled the states. Did they hold a caste census in their state? SP came to power four times in UP. Did Akhilesh Yadav hold a caste census? Did Laluji’s party RJD hold a caste census in Bihar?
Rahul Gandhi has demanded that the census be completed in a time-bound manner. Do you see it happening?
I want to assure Rahul Gandhi that it will not take six decades. We have announced it and we will hold it in a systematic manner. We will make sure that we use the data to reshape our policies for the benefit of those disadvantaged for so many years.
Congress has demanded that reservations be increased beyond 50%.
When Congress was in power did the government execute the 27% reservation in totality? The recruitment drive then was a mockery. There was a big backlog of vacancies. The Kaka Kalelkar committee report was not implemented. They did not fill the quota.
Do you think this caste census decision has come after a long delay?
As far as our government is concerned this is the first time that we have an opportunity to conduct a census. To enumerate caste with the general census is a big, bold and historic decision that the Modi government has taken. The previous governments had an opportunity to hold caste census so many times and this has been a long pending demand. The UPA government never took this initiative. They may be talking about it now when they are in the Opposition. My party has been demanding this and it is integral to our agenda of social justice.’
Rahul Gandhi had pressed for a caste census in Parliament. How much credit goes to the Opposition for this decision?
There was no pressure at all. This is our third term and in these 11 years so many decisions were taken for social justice and the Opposition had no role to play. Granting Constitutional status to OBC Commission and implementing the OBC quota in NEET-PG admissions are prime examples. These issues were being raised for a long time during UPA rule too but they did not pay heed to it. We have a track record of taking decisions that directly benefit marginalized communities. This is another step in that direction. Opposition has no moral ground to claim credit.
Moreover, parties within the NDA family like my party Apna Dal (S) and JDU have been raising this issue. We talked to the prime minister on this. Opposition may try to take credit. We are not in that war to take credit. We are committed to social justice and this is another step towards it.
You feel caste census will ensure data driven social justice. Do you think reservation can be increased in proportion to the population of OBCs?
This data is not being collected keeping reservation in view. Caste based discrimination is a reality and caste is a critical determinant of socio-economic inequities in society. There is a huge population of SC/ST/OBC which has been left behind. Government benefits do not reach the intended beneficiaries (due to lack of data) who need it the most. The aim of this exercise is to collect authentic data to know the exact number and the extent of inequalities. This will help in framing our policies and programs so that welfare reaches where it is needed the most. We are not doing it for any political advantage.
How do you see the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC)?
The SECC was a mockery. Congress did not have a clear intent of holding a caste count which is why despite the formation of the Group of Ministers, it did not hold a full-fledged caste census. There were so many methodical errors and flaws. Around 46 lakh caste figures came up and the data was so confusing it could never be published. They created the impression that caste census cannot be held.
We will make sure that all these technical flaws and barriers are taken care of. We will hold this census in a very transparent and systematic manner so that we have facts and figures which can be interpreted and utilized for the larger good.
What about the view that the government has announced this keeping the forthcoming Bihar elections in mind.
Our political opponents have no valid argument. This country has some election or the other taking place all the time. This year we have Bihar, next year we have Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, the year after there is election in my state Uttar Pradesh. So irrespective of when you announce it this argument will be made. The marginalized communities have waited very long. For 75 years we have not had a caste census. We have done it and that is what matters. We walked the talk.
In UP and also in Bihar, parties like SP and RJD have also been demanding a caste census. They can also claim credit now.
SP and RJD were part of the UPA government. Why did they not raise it earlier and if they did why did their prime minister not agree to it? They failed, we succeeded. When the intent is clear, you succeed. When not, you fail. Also, these parties ruled the states. Did they hold a caste census in their state? SP came to power four times in UP. Did Akhilesh Yadav hold a caste census? Did Laluji’s party RJD hold a caste census in Bihar?
Rahul Gandhi has demanded that the census be completed in a time-bound manner. Do you see it happening?
I want to assure Rahul Gandhi that it will not take six decades. We have announced it and we will hold it in a systematic manner. We will make sure that we use the data to reshape our policies for the benefit of those disadvantaged for so many years.
Congress has demanded that reservations be increased beyond 50%.
When Congress was in power did the government execute the 27% reservation in totality? The recruitment drive then was a mockery. There was a big backlog of vacancies. The Kaka Kalelkar committee report was not implemented. They did not fill the quota.
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