Amid Opposition's Caste Census Push, Amit Shah Says BJP Never Opposed Idea

In a sign that the BJP may be softening its stand on the caste census, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that the party has never opposed the idea, but would take a decision after extensive consultations. 

Mr Shah's statement comes a month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the opposition of trying to "divide the country in the name of caste" after Bihar had released the results of the caste survey, which had been backed by all parties in the state, including the Bihar unit of the BJP. He had called any attempt at creating a divide on caste lines a "sin".

Several other BJP leaders had also spoken out against the caste survey and questioned its methodology.

Asked about the caste census in Chhattisgarh's Raipur on Friday, Mr Shah said in Hindi, "We are a national political party and don't indulge in vote-bank politics. We will take a decision after holding extensive discussions. But using the issue to try and win elections is not right. The BJP has never opposed it (a caste census) but a lot of thought needs to be put into a decision like this. We will reveal our decision at an appropriate time."

The 28-member opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), with the exception of the Trinamool Congress, has been speaking out on the issue since July, when the grouping was smaller and had not adopted its name. Their demand for the caste census got a fillip after the Bihar survey and one of the people leading the charge has been former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. 

Mr Gandhi has been bringing up the issue regularly and has also promised that the Congress will conduct a caste census if it is voted into power. 

"What rights should be given to Adivasis today, what part should be given to the OBC and ST categories, this is the question in front of the country and that is why we are talking about caste census, we will get it done," Mr Gandhi said last month.

The Congress Working Committee, the party's top decision-making body, has also unanimously endorsed the call for a caste census and accused the BJP of "cheating" the country's deprived sections by not releasing the data of the 2011 Socio Economic and Caste Census and not carrying out a fresh Census. 

Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, who is said to have proposed a caste census, has also been vocal on the issue and has termed the release of the Bihar caste survey data a victory. 

Tough call?

Adding to the BJP's problems is the fact that many of its allies including the Apna Dal (Sonelal), Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, NISHAD party and  Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular have backed the opposition demand and said that a caste census is needed to find out the levels of development among each community.

Keeping all these things in mind and in a bid to assess the impact a caste census would have on its support among the Other Backward Classes, the BJP held a high-level meeting In New Delhi on Thursday. Mr Shah and BJP President JP Nadda held the meeting with leaders from various states, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and sought their views on the issue.