RSS Against Caste Census, Says "It Is The Root Of Inequality" (image: facebook.com/RSSOrg)

BJP’s parent organisation the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has expressed their disagreement concerning the demand for a caste-based census. On Tuesday, RSS stated their stance on nationwide caste census and argued that it would accentuate social inequalities in the country. It was when MLAs from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena (Shinde group) from both the Maharashtra State Assembly and Council, visited senior Sangh functionaries at RSS’ Smruti Mandir complex in Nagpur, they made their stand clear.

Shridhar Ghadge, senior RSS pracharak and chief of Vidarbha prant said: “We do not see any benefits in it, instead see harm. It is the root of inequality and it is not justified to promote it,” reports Hindustan Times. Shridhar Ghadge further added that RSS is willingness to engage with the government if the benefits of a caste census could be clearly explained. Notably, during this visit, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary of the organisation, Dattatreya Hosabale, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis were absent. Similarly, MLAs belonging to the Ajit Pawar group of the NCP also did not attend the Tuesday”s interaction.

Shridhar Ghadge”s statements on caste census is important since Union home minister Amit Shah on last month remarked that BJP was not opposed to the idea. Meanwhile, NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal responded that RSS”s position is a utopian idea but may not be practically possible, Times of India reports. He added that when people seek legal remedy to secure reservation for their communities, Court enquire them about their population data which is not possible without a census.