Chennai
If the Union government really intended studying the matter related to conducting a caste census, it should constitute a commission to look into the demand, the Pattali Makkal Katchi said here on Saturday.
The panel should be tasked to submit its report to the government within six months and only then it could be believed that the ruling BJP at the Centre is open about considering the demand, the PMK, a strong proponent of nation-wide caste census said.
Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that the BJP never opposed the idea of caste census, PMK founder S Ramadoss urged the Centre to immediately initiate deliberations and announce a policy decision on the demand for caste census.
Welcoming Shah’s remark, Ramadoss said on X, it showed that the support for the demand is on the rise and ‘he (Shah) has spoken good.’
The BJP, which had all along maintained that caste census would divide people has now come forward to assert that it is not opposed to the proposal. Such a shift in stand should not be eyeing polls in five states including Chattisgarh, the PMK leader said. BJP leader and Union Minister Rajnath Singh had announced that the demand –to conduct the 2021 census by including the caste component as well– would be examined.
However, that assurance did not see the light of the day. Against this background, Ramadoss said there should be no change in the Saffron party’s current stand.
