Revelation and enumeration of caste in the country’s census was not in the ideology and itinerary of the BJP right from the days of the Jan Sangh and so it was never issue for the new incarnation of Bhartiya Jansangh that is Bharatiya Janata Party. But now under the compulsion of vote bank politics and for political expediency, BJP has made a U-turn and has stated that caste enumeration will form part of the census operations in the country. BJP has made a volte face and has come a full circle so far as the caste census is concerned. However one side BJP tries to gain in terms of attracting votes of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBC’s but on the other and more important side it is the moral triumph of the opposition parties including the bet nori Congress.
The opposition parties like socialists ,Congress, Leftists all were in favour of the caste census even from before the freedom of the country from British Yoke. But with the onset of independence of the country opposition parties bated for the caste census but it was not incorporated in the census of the independent India. In fact the BJP’s decision has unsettled its ideological moorings while granting opposition parties a moral victory in their pursuit of social justice. For years together Opposition parties in the country have been advocating nationwide caste census and as against the right wing party BJP advocating Hindu unity has opposed and resisted such calls. But now all of a sudden in a surprising move, the BJP has now resolved to conduct a caste census alongside the population census which is in fact a U-turn of the saffron party which has been advocating and propounding Hindu unity and thus was the fiery critic of the caste census from very beginning. One wounders why this U-turn on the most important issue of caste census? It seems that the BJP under the compulsion of caste politics and for gaining the sympathy of the lower castes in the country, BJP has resolved to get caste data enumerated in the general census of the country. It seems the BJP is aiming to neutralize the Opposition parties who thrive on caste politics and BJP wants to wane away the lower caste votes from the Opposition parties and thus to take advantage of the caste politics.
This shift of the BJP contradicts the philosophy of its ideological mentor the RSS. Now the question is how will the BJP reconcile with RSS on the issue of caste census which it has resolved to include in the general census of the nation. The latest shift in accepting the enumeration of caste data in the census militates with the core ideology of BJP, but the party is trying to encash votes by adopting the caste politics. But now the most ardent critic of the caste census is stepping into the shoes of the Opposition parties and has in fact stolen this important issue from the Opposition parties and BJP does not feel any shame on doing the U-turn on the issue of the caste politics.
It follows that for vote bank politics and political compulsion a party can stoop so low as is evidenced by the saffron party’s neo love for caste politics and thus caste census. The caste yields significant impact on the political landscape of the parties in the states and so parties give much importance to those issues which are closely related with caste politics. Thus caste yields more impact upon politics than even religion and so the political parties across the spectrum give much importance and attention to caste politics. In independent India in 2011 census UPA government initiated a Socio-Economic and Caste Census -SECC, but political manoeuvring prevented the release of its findings. After losing power, congress begun advocating for a caste census to further social justice and this was largely ignored by BJP.
The RSS, which ideologically guides the BJP, has a long-standing opposition to caste census which RSS argues Hindu unity is more crucial to the nation than caste complications. So, when the RJD-JD alliance in Bihar conducted their caste census in 2023 BJP and RSS strongly opposed. Similarly, when Karnataka and Telangana conducted the same actions, both were criticized by RSS and BJP calling these parties out as helping to promote political caste -based voting. BJP and RSS have insisted that caste census should not used as a political instrument, and should done purely scientifically as a response to social inequality. The BJP appears to have moved in support of caste enumeration on the national census based on political and electoral necessity, rather than an ideological shift of the saffron party. Some say the announcement was made as a way to distract the impressionable masses from the Pahalgam terror attack security failure. As opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, left and right, BSP, have increased pressure on the BJP to follow through on caste census, where will it lead to? The BJP's decision may result in immediate electoral advantage, but poses longer-term difficulties.
Caste is an all-dominant and powerful attraction in Indian politics, and all parties have been attracted to continue with caste politics through caste census, and the BJP did not want to be left behind and decided to become part of the enumeration of caste data in the general census in the country. Ultimately, it can be said that the BJP has made a dramatic U-turn from its previously stated position and has compromised its fundamental belief and core ideology at the altar of caste politics in order for a caste census in the country.
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