Neither panacea nor...: Anand Sharma differs with Cong over caste census

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma has written to party president Mallikarjun Kharge saying a caste census cannot be a panacea nor a solution for unemployment and inequalities in society.

Sharma's letter comes at a time the Congress has intensified its demand for a nationwide caste census and promised to carry out the exercise if elected to power in the Lok Sabha elections.

In his letter to Kharge, Sharma said the Congress has never engaged in nor endorsed identity politics and the departure from the historic position of the party is a matter of concern for many.

He also said that the articulation of party position should be balanced and should eschew the radical posturing of regional and caste-based organisations.

It needs mention that the last census to enumerate caste differentiation was in 1931 during the British colonial regime, he wrote.

After independence, a conscious policy decision was made by the government not to canvass caste-related questions in the census, except for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which is collected by the states.

"All Census Commissioners, after independence, have recorded their reasons and disapproval of a National Caste Census citing overlap, duplication, data lacking in accuracy and doubtful authenticity.

"In my considered view, a caste census cannot be a panacea nor a solution for unemployment and prevailing inequalities. A fundamental departure from time honoured policy on this critical and sensitive subject has major long-term national implications," Sharma said.

As a party with inclusive approach, Sharma said, "The Congress should strive to reclaim its role as builder of national consensus and build a harmonious society. The articulation of party position should be balanced and eschew the radical posturing of regional and caste based organisations."

The Congress has firmly believed in transparency, democratic discussion and respected freedom of expression, he said, adding that he is writing this in that spirit.