Last Monday, political parties in India called for the Indian government to hold a nationwide caste census.

In 2011, the government will already be holding a nationwide population census; adding a caste census would mean adding an extra line to the population census.

Among the parties calling for action was PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi), a Tamil political party founded by Dr. S. Ramadoss. At the meeting, Ramadoss said:

“We ask the Central Government to launch a nation-wide caste-wise census in the forthcoming population census of 2011. The Centre need not strain too much on this, but only has to add one column to the census questionnaire prepared for the purpose… If the caste-wise census is undertaken, the data will help us to form an idea about the level of development, backwardness, poverty level of different castes.”

Ramadoss seeks to gain information about jobs and education to bring social justice to all castes.

What are castes?

Castes are similar to forms of social stratification (like classes). India’s castes have consisted of priests, nobles/warriors, commoners, and servants. Until reformers began to call for change to the caste system, most Hindu Indians believed they were meant to be born into their specific caste – and that they could not and should not belong to another caste.

Filed under: Hinduism, Religion and Politics