RSS cautions against using caste census as political tool
New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has expressed caution over the caste census survey, urging that it should not be used as a political tool. While the organisation has not issued an official response to the Union government’s recent decision to conduct caste-based enumeration alongside the upcoming decadal census, sources indicate that the Sangh remains watchful of its implications.
The RSS, which has historically opposed caste-based segregation, supports the idea of sub-categorisation within Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the introduction of a creamy layer—but insists this must be done through consultation and consensus with stakeholders.
This development comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat at the Prime Minister’s official residence, a meeting that has drawn attention amid the government’s announcement.
The Sangh has long championed the cause of Samajik Samarasta (social harmony), a campaign aimed at unifying Hindu society across caste lines. It has maintained that caste enumeration should not become a vehicle for political gain. In September last year, RSS chief spokesperson Sunil Ambekar, speaking in Palakkad, Kerala, emphasised that caste-related issues must be approached with sensitivity due to their impact on national unity and integrity.
“Such issues should not be handled based on elections or electoral politics,” Ambekar had said. He added that while collecting caste data for welfare purposes is an accepted practice, it must strictly serve the interests of underprivileged communities, and not be exploited for political advantage.
According to the RSS, it has no objection to caste data collection if it is used for public welfare rather than for fostering political divisions. Observers suggest that this nuanced endorsement has provided the Modi government the ideological clearance to proceed without alienating its traditional support base.
With ground-level implementation already visible in states like Bihar and ideological alignment at the national level, the caste census is poised to significantly influence India’s social policy and electoral strategies. For a nation still striving for equitable representation and social justice, the exercise could supply much-needed empirical data to guide policy decisions.
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Vote rigging charges against MLA DN Jeevaraj: HC grants interim stay on FIR
Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the FIR against Sringeri legislator DN Jeevaraj, who is accused of vote rigging.
A vacation bench consisting of Justice V Sreeshananda heard on Tuesday the BJP MLA’s plea urging the HC to quash the case against him.
After hearing the arguments, the judge granted an interim stay on the case against Jeevaraj.
The hearing of the case has been adjourned to Thursday, May 7.
