New Delhi:
As India's biggest census exercise gets underway, the government has decided not to include a caste count due to sharp divisions in the Cabinet.
Though a majority in the Cabinet seemed to support the idea, the Prime Minister put off the decision after two ministers, P Chidambaram and Anand Sharma, objected to it in a meeting on Tuesday.
The ministers said the census is not an "ideal instrument" for a caste survey.
The Home Minister suggested that the backward commission at the Centre or State would be a more appropriate body for a caste count.
Anand Sharma expressed reservations about reviving a practice that was discontinued 70 years ago and even Social Welfare Minister Mukul Wasnik said more time was needed to discuss the issue.
However, there were more ministers who backed the idea. Minister of Urban development Jaipal Reddy, Cabinet Minister for Law Veerappa Moily, Farooq Abdullah and A Raja all reiterated the need for a caste based census.
Though a majority in the Cabinet seemed to support the idea, the Prime Minister put off the decision after two ministers, P Chidambaram and Anand Sharma, objected to it in a meeting on Tuesday.
The ministers said the census is not an "ideal instrument" for a caste survey.
The Home Minister suggested that the backward commission at the Centre or State would be a more appropriate body for a caste count.
Anand Sharma expressed reservations about reviving a practice that was discontinued 70 years ago and even Social Welfare Minister Mukul Wasnik said more time was needed to discuss the issue.
However, there were more ministers who backed the idea. Minister of Urban development Jaipal Reddy, Cabinet Minister for Law Veerappa Moily, Farooq Abdullah and A Raja all reiterated the need for a caste based census.
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