Samajwadi Party, RJD and JD-U have been strongly demanding inclusion of caste in the census exercise. The demand also has BJP's support.
A meeting of the Union Cabinet is likely to take a decision on the issue of caste-based census next week, amid indications that the government may concede to the demands from various parties for such an exercise.
"The issue of caste census is expected to come before the Cabinet next week," government sources said.
The indication to this effect came after a meeting of Congress Core Group presided over by party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Prime minister Manmohan Singh, home minister P Chidambaram, senior leaders Pranab Mukherjee, AK Antony and Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel attended the meeting.
Finance minister Mukherjee has already justified the demand for conducting a caste-based census and said it should not have been discontinued post-independence.
"The caste-based census was last conducted in the year 1931 and the practice should have continued in the post-independence period also but it did not happen. Now the UPA government has taken an initiative in this regard," he had said at Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh a few days back.
Earlier, on the last day of the budget session in Lok Sabha, prime minister Manmohan Singh assured the House that government would take a decision on the matter shortly.
"I am aware of the views of the members of Parliament belonging to all sections. I assure you that the Cabinet will take a decision shortly," Singh had said.
The prime minister's statement mollified agitated opposition members who had forced adjournment of the House after home minister Chidambarm virtually ruled out inclusion of caste in the exercise.
A senior Congress functionary strongly favoured caste census saying it has become a necessity now.
The leader on condition of anonymity said the caste census will bring out actual figures of the population of various sub-castes among the OBCs and could "actually expose those masquerading themselves as champion of OBC politics".
The party leader said the knowledge of the actual number of OBCs and their various sub-castes will also help political parties during elections and the government in prescribing various affirmative actions.
Samajwadi Party, RJD and JD-U have been strongly demanding inclusion of caste in the census exercise. The demand also has BJP's support.
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