Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday informed that the government was in the process of taking a final decision to include caste as a factor to be enumerated in the ongoing Census process.
Replying to a question on the issue, which caused many adjournments in the Lok Sabha during last session of the Parliament, Dr Singh said, “I made a statement in Parliament in which I had said that we would take into account the views expressed by all sections of the House and would shortly take appropriate decision. I will soon ask the Cabinet to consider the views expressed in the Parliament. That process is on.”
Informing that the final decision on the issue is yet to be taken, the Prime Minister said, “Discussion on the issue will take place in the Cabinet and whatever decision is taken it will be brought before the people.”
When asked to comment whether a decision favouring inclusion of caste in the Census process would not lead to Mandalisation, the Prime Minister said, the government will keep everything in the mind before taking a final decision. “At the moment, we have not taken a decision,” he added. most of the political parties, including BJP, SP, RJD and JD(U) made strong pitch for inclusion of caste as factor to be enumerated.