Caste enumeration is included in forthcoming population census, Muslims too will have to mention the ‘caste’ there

• Including caste enumeration in forth coming Population census may help in making some indirect evaluation analysis in the spirits of Art-341 of COI
• NDA-IV Modi Govt. deciding to include caste enumeration in census raises hopes for real good to many SC/ST /OBC

DAYA SAGAR

Looking at the schedules /list that have been drawn since 1950 and particularly as regards the SC. To begin with SC ( socially and educationally backward ) citizens of India were identified in 1950 on the basis of the culture of social discrimination prevailing particularly in the Hindu society well recognised as the ‘Hindu’ caste system where under some ‘castes’/ segments have been named the victim of extreme neglect in the form of “untouchability” ( Art- 17 of constitution of India also talked of untouchability : ) and so principally only Indian subjects only of Hindu religion were included in the list of SC as was drawn in 1950 ( THE CONSTITUTION (SCHEDULED CASTES) ORDER, 1950.see Section-3 ) and it was in 1990 that those practicing Buddhism also admitted that there in them also existed caste based discrimination like the Hindu & the discriminated castes from among the Buddhist too were nominated and included in the SC [The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) orders (Amendment) Act, 1990 of 03 June 1990 where Section -2 says <“I. In paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950s for the words “or the Sikh”, the words “, the Sikh or the Buddhist” shall be substituted.] thereby further increasing the numbers of Indian citizens as SC.
Scheduled Castes in the Schedule Caste orders made under provisions of Art 341 of COI can be said to be referring to specific castes, races, or tribes that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized due to social discrimination and practices like untouchability. These communities are granted special protections and affirmative action to promote their socio-economic development in the COI. Constitutionally in India castes in the list oSC were included only from among those holding Hindu religion only and Sikh castes were included under a proviso considering them also holding castes like Hindu Dalits in 1950 itself. Ofcourse the Buddhists too later on admitted prevailing social discrimination like ‘dalits’ amongst them like Hindu and were included in SC by a Act of Parliament. Religious / political leaders from amongst Buddhist initially claimed that their communities were free from stigma / blot of untouchability/ social discrimination but later on accepted that caste system still prevailed in them due to traditions of untouchability even after they changed their religion from Hindu to Sikh or Budh. Unless Sikh and Budh community leaders would have approached the national leadership professing that social caste based discrimination like untouchability existed in them also like it was in Hindu the amendment would not have come . During British rule also there existed provision of depressed classes or later schedule castes but castes : classes only out of Hindu were included.
Muslims in India are also asking reservations for Muslims on religious basis which is not correct since constitutionally reservations are given on the basis of social and educational backwardness only. Some ‘leadership’ has names some Muslims as Pasmanda and say that reservation be given to Pasmanda Muslims which cannot be granted as ‘Muslim’ but in case Muslims too have some castes or social groups by name which still face social discrimination like untouchability among Muslims or after conversion to Islam and they too accept the blot like untouchability in Hindu / Sikh/ Budh such castes too could be considered for inclusion in SC with Hindu Sikh Budh thereby increasing reservation percentage for SC and hence the reservation for SC in Parliament /services / educational institutions. So as regards SC Muslims should not have problem in accepting that caste system with blot of social discrimination / untouchability exited in Muslims too.
And in case the community behaves like that the action would take away the conflicting tools being used by politicians and would do some good to real needy who has faced backwardness due discard by better placed members of their society.
To be Continued
(The writer is Sr Journalist & analyst of J&K affairs)