New Delhi, May 7 (Inditop.com) The government will soon take a decision on caste-based census in the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Lok Sabha Friday.
Making a brief statement during a debate in the lower house, the prime minister said: “Home Minister (P. Chidambaram) has laid a detailed statement on the issue of Census 2011. I am aware of the views of honourable members belonging to all sections of the house. I assure you the cabinet will take a decision shortly.”
The assurance came in the wake of pressure on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to undertake a caste-based census.
The prime minister’s statement mollified the opposition members who had forced adjournment of the house earlier after Chidambaram virtually ruled out inclusion of caste in the population count exercise.
Replying to the debate, Chidambaram insisted that the main aim of the exercise was headcount and listed difficulties in including caste in the list.
The members including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal, cutting across party lines, had been supporting the proposal arguing that data from such an exercise, particularly on other backward classes (OBCs), would help in planning welfare measures.
Opposition MPs thanked the prime minister after his statement.
