The Congress party has slammed the Modi government for excluding the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category from the census questionnaire, claiming it is a strategic move to suppress population data.
- Congress alleges a 'deep conspiracy' to keep OBC population data out of official records.
- Concerns raised over 'open-ended' questions leading to data fragmentation and errors.
- Demand for a scientific approach similar to the Telangana state caste survey.
The Indian National Congress on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Modi administration, alleging that the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category has been deliberately omitted from the census questionnaire. The party claims this omission is not a clerical error but a calculated attempt to obscure the actual demographic strength of the community.
During a press conference at the party headquarters, Anil Jaihind, National Chairman of the Congress OBC Department, pointed out that the OBC category was conspicuously missing from the 10th question of the questionnaire released on August 14. He asserted that such an omission is a direct blow to the principles of social justice.
The Technical Pitfall of 'Open-Ended' Questions
A major point of contention is the use of "open-ended" questions regarding caste. Mr. Jaihind argued that without a predefined list, enumerators will record regional variations, synonyms, and spelling differences. Using Haryana as an example, he noted that the carpenter community is identified by multiple names such as Jangid, Jangra, Khati, Dhiman, and Vishwakarma, which would lead to fragmented data.
"Experts suggest that enumerators could potentially collect up to 46 lakh different caste entries, which the government will then use as a pretext to avoid a scientific caste census."
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that the accuracy of caste data is pivotal for the equitable distribution of reservation benefits and government resources. By utilizing a non-structured data collection method, the government risks creating a statistical chaos that makes it impossible to determine the precise proportionality of the OBC population, thereby stalling the push for a quota based on actual population.
The Congress party cited the Telangana government's caste survey as a gold standard, noting that it employed a 54-question survey with a comprehensive list of 242 castes. They urged the Centre to adopt a similar transparent and scientific methodology to ensure the integrity of the 2027 Census.
| Feature | Current Central Questionnaire (Alleged) | Telangana Model (Reference) |
|---|---|---|
| OBC Column | Missing/Ambiguous | Explicit and Detailed |
| Question Type | Open-ended | List-based/Structured |
| Approach | Potentially Fragmented | Scientific and Transparent |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why is the Congress party protesting the census questionnaire?
The party believes the removal of the OBC column is a conspiracy to hide the actual population of backward classes.
Q2: What is the risk of 'open-ended' caste questions?
It can lead to millions of different entries for the same community due to regional naming variations, making the data useless for scientific analysis.
