Conduct caste-based census, demands AIOBCSA; organises Twitter storm

The All India Other Backward Classes Students' Association (AIOBCSA) organised a Twitter storm at 6 pm on Sunday, May 28, demanding a caste census be conducted by the Centre and reservations be extended to OBCs in employment and admissions in higher educational institutions.

"We feel that states cannot include them (dominant communities) without proper data and evidence. This can only be arrived at through a caste census. Caste census will give answers to many complex questions," said Kiran Kumar, President of AIOBCSA in a tweet.

"Opposing Caste Census is Opposing Social Justice. Caste Census is the only way to give due share to OBCs in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other states in the education and employment domain. #SocialJustice #ConductCasteCensus," the organisation said in another tweet.

It may be recalled that AIOBCSA had written a letter to Prime Minister Modi in this regard in November last year. “We strongly believe that all except OBCs other social categories are getting their due share of reservation. This fact will strongly impact the future of OBCs. We strongly feel that you will be remembered for conducting the caste census as one of the champions of social justice in the hearts of OBCs," the letter said, as per media reports.

In 2021, AIOBCSA held a protest in front of the main gate of the University of Hyderabad, demanding a caste-based census. Participating in the current Twitter storm,  Mohit Yadav, a research scholar from Jaipur, wrote, "Caste census may b a diagnostic constitutional tool 2 examine d severity of the ailment of castism, nd accordingly it may enable d parliament to work more effectively 2wards bringing inclusiveness among Indian citizens in each ad every strata of life (sic)."