The RSS, which is opposed to caste-based census, has asked the BJP to clarify its stand on the issue and clear the misconception that its affairs are controlled by the RSS. Though the BJP maintained that it favours caste-based census, some of its leaders are opposed to it.
RSS ideologue M.G. Vaidya, in his weekly column in a Marathi daily, said: “The BJP is still undecided. Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Opposition Leader in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, along with L.K. Advani, should come out with a statement on the issue of inclusion on caste in census data.” He said BJP chief Nitin Gadkari should immediately convene a national executive meeting and announce the party’s policy decision over the issue.
According to Mr Vaidya, the RSS has already made known its opposition to the census but “the BJP is free to decide and not necessarily toe the RSS line. This will indeed help clear the misconception that the BJP’s affairs are controlled from the RSS headquarters.”
Though the BJP had said in the budget session that it is in favour of this demographic exercise, its leader M.M. Joshi said he was opposed to it.
He claimed there was no unanimity in the party over the issue.
The RSS leader said senior BJP leader Mr Gopinath Munde “struck cordial relationship” with Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Mr Chhagan Bhujbal recently on the issue “even before it came in the Lok Sabha and got a tremendous support from Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav.”
“Other Backward Classes (OBC) is not a particular community but a cluster of communities that is demanding inclusion in census. The paramount question is should Munde’s stance be taken as an official party line?,” Mr Vaidya wrote in his column.
Supporting the caste census, Mr Munde had said it would not divide people but help estimate the actual population of OBCs in the country and highlight the plight of the poor.