RSS says caste census should be used to ‘uplift’ society, exercise shouldn’t break ‘social harmony’

Remarks by RSS's Sunil Ambekar come a day after another functionary opposed caste census. Congress claims RSS & BJP afraid of census giving 'Dalits, backward classes equal rights'.

Representative image of enumerators collecting information for Bihar's caste-based census in Patna | ANI

New Delhi: Caste-based census should be used for the overall upliftment of the society and while doing it, all concerned should ensure that social harmony and unity is not disturbed for any reason, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said Thursday, in what appeared to be an attempt to distance itself from the remark of one of its functionaries opposing such a census.

While the statement issued by Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, seemed to suggest the Sangh’s qualified support for caste census, RSS functionaries told ThePrint that it should not be interpreted as the Sangh wanting a caste census.

Ministers and legislators of the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena visited the RSS headquarters in Nagpur and the memorials of K.B. Hedgewar and M. S. Golwalkar — both RSS leaders — earlier this week. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, RSS functionary Shridhar Gadge said a caste census, which the Opposition Congress has been demanding, may bring political benefit to some as it will provide data about the population of certain castes, but “it won’t be good socially and for national unity”.

Ambekar said that the Sangh has been constantly working for Hindu society based on harmony and social justice and free from any discrimination and inequality.

“It is true that due to various historical reasons, many components of the society lagged behind economically, socially and educationally. With a view to their development, upliftment and empowerment, various governments make various schemes and provisions from time to time, which the Sangh fully supports,” he said. “A debate on the caste-based census has started again in recent times. Our view is that this should be used for the overall upliftment of the society. While doing this, all concerned should ensure that social harmony and unity is not broken due to any reason,” said Ambekar.

‘RSS & BJP afraid,’ says Congress

In a post on X Thursday, the Congress wrote: “The RSS, which runs the BJP, has always been against the caste census. Their stand is very clear. Dalits and backward classes should not get their rights at any cost. Because of this disgusting thinking, there has not been a single RSS president from Dalit or backward class in 100 years. Caste census is very important to remove social and economic inequality in the country. With this, policies can be made for the exploited, deprived, Dalit and backward classes, so that they get equal rights in the society. RSS and BJP are afraid of this very thing.”

Speaking to ThePrint on condition of anonymity, an RSS functionary said that ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, when the Opposition is raising the issue and wants to gain politically, such statements issued by individual RSS functionaries like Gadge can be “detrimental”.

“Whether to have a caste-based census or not is a political issue and we don’t want to get involved in it, especially with months to go for the polls. The RSS has been in favour of reservation as it seeks to provide opportunities to the deprived sections of the society. Caste-based census is purely political in nature and is a move to divide Hindu society and we want to stay away from making any comment on the issue,” said a functionary.

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat earlier this year had batted for reservation and said quota should continue for as long as there is discrimination in society. This statement was a departure from Bhagwat’s earlier position. In 2015, he had called for a review of reservations by a panel of non-partisan observers.

(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)