The issue of declaration of caste based census and reservation to scheduled tribes, scheduled castes and other backward castes (OBC) as per their population share in State once again echoed in the Assembly. Raising the issue at calling attention, BJP legislator from Godda Amit Mandal and AJSU party chief Sudesh Mahto asked the Government to clear its stand on both the issue. Interestingly, it was Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who came forward in replying queries made by the legislators.
BJP legislator Amit Mandal raising the caste based census issue asked whether the Government is interested in carrying out caste based census in State. Soren replying to Mandal said, “In 2011 the Union Government carried out caste based census, but the findings of the census is kept in an almirah. The Government should bring the findings of the census before public domain.”
The Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 were conducted for the 2011 Census of India. The then government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had approved the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 to be carried out after discussion in both houses of Parliament in 2010. However, Mandal was unsatisfied with the answers of Chief Minister.
AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto in calling attention move raised the issue demanding the government to provide reservation to scheduled caste, scheduled tribes and other backward caste as per their population.
Replying to Mahto, Chief Minister Soren said that government is committed to provide reservation to people as per their population, but there are some legal roadblocks obstructing the process. Soren said, “The government is working on mechanism to remove such legal obstructions so that reservation is provided to all as per their population.”
Intervening on Chief Minister’ remark, Sudesh Mahto said that the Centre has already removed all such obstructions by announcing 10 per cent reservation to people from economically weaker section of society. Mahto asked the CM whether the Government will go for caste based census in 2021 census.
Increasing reservation for Other Backward Caste (OBC) — numerically stronger in tribal State Jharkhand was an important poll issue for all political parties in Jharkhand. All major political parties from national to regional level had promised to increase OBC quota in their manifesto.
While, the BJP had talked about increasing the OBC reservation based on their population as per Constitutional limit, the Congress has vowed to increase OBC reservation limit to 27 per cent from existing 14 per cent.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), had pledged to provide 67 per cent reservation to STs, OBCs and SCs. AJSU party too had promised 27 per cent reservations for other backward communities in Government jobs and admissions to educational institutions.