Common ethos vs small identities

Finally, it is going to happen. After a semblance of
debate in the Parliament and outside, now it seems a certainty that the 2011 census will incorporate caste as well. If one goes by what Pranab Mukherjee had said in the Lok Sabha on August 12, the Central government will not allow caste-based census to affect the integrity of the head count in the country. Assuring members of the Lok Sabha on this issue, Mukherjee said that the views of all political parties would be kept in mind while determining the process and mechanism to be adopted for the caste-based census.

It is a fact that in all major national political parties, there are equally strong voices arguing in favour of as well as against caste census. This is bound to happen mainly for two reasons. But before explaining these reasons, I am tempted to draw a parallel to the present debate of sorts on this issue to something that happened in Maharashtra a few years before. The state government — some time in 2000-2001 — decided to introduce English right in Grade 1. Regardless of the fact that it is the mother tongue that is always regarded as the best medium of instruction, the government went ahead with its decision which was widely acclaimed at the popular level. Educationists who had opposed “English at Grade 1” policy were dubbed as experts with typical general-caste approach. There were whispers that these experts (mainly belonging to the general castes) were those who “do not want the school children of the poor and backward sections to be smartly speaking in English”.

The foremost reason for equally strong voices emerging on the issue of caste census is the view that the approach is largely determined by your place in the caste system. Many believe that for those of general castes, their caste identity becomes an obstacle rather than a facilitating factor. Hence, when a general-caste individual opposes caste-based census it is easily dubbed as a typical general-caste approach as to him/her caste-identity is more harmful than helpful. Hence, the progressivism of the opponents of caste census becomes suspicious in the eyes of those who are aggressively favouring the same. The unending debate is unlikely to lead to any genuine consensus because — whether one admits it or not — caste continues to cast its thick shadow over our public life as well and politics is integral to that.

Many believe that caste, especially to the disadvantaged sections of the society, continues to give a sense of community based security. As a consequence, it also provides them a strong sense of identity. Some of those who are in favour of caste-based census argue that social (read: caste) identity is critical to the weaker sections in multiple ways. Hence to include caste in census needs to be looked at from the weaker sections’ angle. To those who are already deprived of social justice, recognition to (their) caste is seen as a victory. Those who oppose caste based census are bound to be looked at as pseudo-progressives.
Many believe that caste census will hamper social cohesion and sharpen existing cleavages. They believe that to include caste in a ‘secular’ and largely technical exercise like census and still hope for social harmony is like “fighting for peace”.

Howsoever ironical it may appear, I believe accepting the idea of caste census is perhaps a lesser evil as against rejecting it. This is primarily because of the emotional
integration deficit that still exists between various social groups in our country. We have a common ethos, but when it comes to identity we tend to harp upon our smaller identities than the larger and the unifying ones. Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay had rightly observed that smaller identities are important and it is hard to ignore them, much less making them vanish. But, one has to evolve a mechanism by way of which smaller identities are merged into larger ones thereby ensuring real social and national integration. The decision of the BJP to accept caste census without
affecting the integrity of headcount provides the same.