The Maharashtra government is “not averse to the idea” of conducting a caste-based census, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, a day after the results of such a census were released by the Bihar government.
Fadnavis, while speaking to reporters in Mumbai, said the government will first study the Bihar caste census report in detail, understand its methodology and then take a call to replicate the model in Maharashtra.
“Its authenticity and accuracy need to be verified,” the deputy CM stressed, adding that Nitish Kumar-led Bihar is the only government in the country to have come out with such a census. “Even the Congress-led governments are yet to undertake this exercise,” he added.
‘We are not averse to the idea of such a census’ Halfway through the day quoted Fadnavis. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader added that Prime Minister Eknath Shinde would take a call after considering all factors.
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In the Bihar caste census, it was revealed that the Extreme Backward Classes (EBC) constituted 36 percent – the largest share of the state’s population of 13 crore – followed by the Other Backward Classes (OBC) which accounted for 27 percent, and the Scheduled Castes (SC) 19.6 percent and Scheduled Tribes (ST) 2.1 percent. The portion of the population classified as General constituted 15 percent, according to the report.
A day earlier, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar threw his support behind the demand for a caste census, saying such an exercise “will help the notified tribes”.
The demand for caste enumeration in Maharashtra has also gained momentum since several caste groups have sought inclusion in the list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) to enjoy the benefits of reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.
The strongest demand came from Marathas, with several groups representing the community agitating over the past six years demanding quota for them.
The issue flared up last month after Manoj Jarange Patil, a Maratha activist based in Jalna, went on an indefinite fast seeking implementation of reservation for the community. He withdrew his fast on September 13 but gave the Shinde government a one-month ultimatum to accommodate the community’s demands.
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Updated: Oct 3, 2023 5:01 PM IST