Jharkhand CM Soren writes to PM Modi, seeks time for discussion of 'caste-based' census

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in relation to the much-debated and discussed caste-based census in India. In the letter, the Chief Minister sought time from the Prime Minister to hold a discussion with a nine-member delegation headed by him on the issue. The delegation will reportedly have members of both the ruling party as well as the opposition. 

“A nine-member delegation, headed by me, would like to meet you to discuss our demand for the caste-based census. We request you to kindly allot us a time to meet," Hemant Soren said in the letter. The Jharkhand Chief Minister has approached the Prime Minister a couple of days after Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar, a votary of the caste-based census, pointed out that the other states have also started raising the same demand for caste enumeration of the country's population. 

Delegation of political leaders from Bihar meet PM Modi

Earlier this month, a delegation of Members of Legislative Assembly of Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav met the Prime Minister at the national capital seeking a caste-based census. 

After the meeting, CM Nitish Kumar addressed the media where he revealed that PM Modi had listened to the demands put forward by all members of the delegation and a decision was likely soon. "We spoke on all kinds of matter. SC, ST, OBCs, EBC, minorities, everything was raised. We said that if this is done once, we will know the condition of everyone and we will be able to make the right decisions." 

Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, jointly speaking with the leader of the state, said that PM Modi listened to all their points carefully, and that they are now waiting for his nod. "This is not just for Bihar, but for the entire country," said Tejashwi Yadav. 

No caste-based census: Ministry of Home Affairs

In July, the Ministry of Home Affairs made it clear in the Parliament that the Centre would not be including caste-wise data on population other than that of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the national Census. The Ministry had stated that the decision regarding the same was taken as a 'matter of policy'.

"The State governments of Maharashtra and Odisha have requested to collect caste details in the forthcoming Census. The Government of India decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in Census,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said, pointing out that the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was carried out in 2011, but later discontinued.