Page 3 - Caste

Congress protests caste remarks against Rahul, seeks apology from BJP

The Congress in Maharashtra on Thursday held state-wide protests against the BJP over its Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur's controversial remarks making apparent reference about Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's caste in Parliament. Thakur's comments on Gandhi were an insult to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and OBC communities, said the opposition party. State Congress president Nana Patole sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP over the comments. Talking to reporters in Mumbai during the protest, Patole said, "Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is raising his voice for the rights of backward communities. He has been demanding a caste-based census. In retaliation, a BJP MP asked Rahul Gandhi about his caste in the Lok Sabha." "By asking about his caste, the BJP not only insulted Rahul Gandhi but also disrespected SCs, STs, Nomadic Tribes and OBC communities," contended the Congress leader. Patole said not only are ...

Cong moves Privilege Motion against PM Modi over Thakur's expunged remark

Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi submitted Privilege Motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for posting expunged remarks made by Anurag Thakur

Make special efforts to eliminate caste discrimination in society: Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday called for the need to make special efforts to eliminate discrimination over caste and gender in society. The RSS chief was speaking at an intellectuals' meet in Vadodara on the second day of his two-day Gujarat visit. On Saturday, he had attended a similar programme in Bharuch in south Gujarat, stated a release from RSS. In his address to intellectuals, Bhagwat said Sajjan shakti' (noble power) should be organised and made active for social changes through harmony, family education, adherence to rituals, environmental protection, awakening of indigenous values and education in civic duty. Special efforts should be made to eliminate caste and gender differences in society, and special experiments should be done to create a network of Sajjan shakti, the release said, quoting him. During the meet, people working in fields like health, environment, art, literature, and social change expressed their thoughts and opinions about

Don't seek votes on basis of caste, religion, language: EC to parties

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission on Friday asked parties and their leaders to refrain from seeking votes on the basis of caste, religion and language, and not insult the devotee-deity relation or make any suggestion of a divine censure. In an advisory warning the parties, candidates and star campaigners of stern action for any violation of Model Code of Conduct instead of the previous practice of only 'moral censure', the poll panel also said that temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras or any other place of worship should not be used for poll propaganda or electioneering. It said that the star campaigners and candidates who have received notices in past will face stern action for repeat violation of model code. The advisory comes days before the model code is expected to come into effect with the announcement of the Lok Sabha and four state assembly polls later this month, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had recently emphasised that political parties sho

A marked life

A compilation of stories, some autobiographical and some fictional, details the agony of living in the shadows and the genuine challenges of breaking free from one's caste identity

Highlights: 4th round of talks between ministers, farmer leaders concludes

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Shun practice of mentioning caste or religion of litigants in cases: SC

The practice of mentioning caste or religion of litigants in court cases must be shunned, the Supreme Court has said while directing its registry and all other courts to stop it immediately. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah directed all high courts to ensure that the caste or religion of a litigant does not appear in the memo of parties in any petition filed before HCs or subordinate courts under their jurisdiction. "We see no reason for mentioning the caste/religion of any litigant either before this Court or the courts below. Such a practice is to be shunned and must be ceased forthwith. "It is therefore deemed appropriate to pass a general order directing that henceforth the caste or religion of parties shall not be mentioned in the memo of parties of a petition/proceeding filed before this Court, irrespective of whether any such details have been furnished before the courts below," the bench said. The top court passed the order while allowing a transfer .

Telangana govt to take up caste census soon, says CM Revanth Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday said the state government would soon take up caste census as promised to people before elections. Reddy, who held a meeting on issues concerning minorities, backward classes and tribal welfare departments, directed officials to take steps for carrying out the caste census, an official release said. The CM also asked officials to prepare budget estimates for implementing 'Kalyanamastu' scheme of providing one tola gold in addition to financial assistance of Rs one lakh to girls from BPL families at the time of their marriage. He directed officials to prepare estimates on the funds required for all types of government welfare hostels being run by the government. He said funds would be released in 'green channel' (expeditious release of funds) as per the estimated expenditure. He instructed officials to furnish details on the government residential schools which are being run in rented buildings and also to identify lands for ...

Following Bihar, Andhra Pradesh govt begins comprehensive caste census

The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday kicked off its comprehensive caste census to enumerate all communities in the state. Information and Public Relations (I & PR) Minister C Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna said the census is scheduled for 10 days from January 19. "The comprehensive caste census is scheduled for 10 days in one phase and if needed, it will be extended by four or five days," Krishna told PTI. The Minister noted that volunteers will visit each and every home to collect the caste details, which will be relayed to the village secretariat system. Andhra Pradesh becomes the second state after Bihar to take up the caste census. Krishna said officials in the village secretariat system across the state will verify the accuracy of information collected by the volunteers and correct it, if necessary, before making the final record. Each volunteer will cater to 50 households. Krishna exuded confidence that the entire census process will be completed before the issuance of th

Inter-caste marriages can't be prevented, part of change: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said if a young man and woman like each other and decide to get married, irrespective of their caste or faith, no one can prevent the union. Vijayan said there has always been opposition to such marriages from parents of either side or both families, but that has not stopped such marriages. The CM was responding to reporters' queries in connection with a prominent Islamic scholar on Wednesday 'accusing' the ruling CPI(M) and its youth outfits of promoting inter-caste marriages and mixed culture in the name of secularism. Vijayan said that neither the SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), nor the DYFI, the Left party's youth outfit, were working as "inter-caste marriage bureaus". "Such changes are happening in the state in accordance with the times and no organisation or the government is doing anything to bring about these changes," he said. "If a young man and woman like each other and decide to get married, no one in the world ca

Andhra govt to begin comprehensive caste census on Dec 9: Minister Krishna

The Andhra Pradesh government will begin a comprehensive caste census on December 9 to enumerate all castes, Information and Public Relations Minister C Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna said on Friday. Noting that completing the caste census is a major goal of the YSRCP government, the minister said, "It is important to have a caste census to transform the living standards of people". Noting that there has been no caste census in India post independence but only a population census, the minister noted that the government is eliciting opinions from caste representatives across the state, an official press release said. Exuding confidence that the state would conduct the caste census in a fair and comprehensive manner, Krishna said Andhra Pradesh's enumeration exercise will emerge as a role model across the country. He asserted that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is renowned for ensuring social justice, and claimed that opposition parties are shivering at the mere mentioning of a

Karnataka govt in tight spot as dominant communities oppose caste census

Karnataka's Socio-Economic and Education Survey, popularly known as the "caste census", is mired in controversies even before the report is submitted to the government, amid deep divisions within the ruling Congress, stiff opposition by dominant communities against its acceptance and the survey's original "work-sheet" copy missing. There are also indications about a delay in the submission of the survey report by Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, with the government extending the tenure of its current Chairman, K Jayaprakash Hegde by a couple of months, until the submission of the report, originally due this month. What has put the state government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who on Tuesday had asserted that his decision to accept the report is unwavering, in a tight spot is Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar being a signatory to a memorandum submitted to him, requesting to reject it along with the data. Along with Shivakumar, who hails from the dominant ...

Will launch movement if Bihar not given special category status: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced that he will launch a state-wide movement if the Centre does not grant special category status to the state at the earliest. The JD(U) leader, who has been demanding special status for many years, said the state needs this in order to move forward. If the Centre does not grant special status to Bihar at the earliest, we will launch a state-wide movement The demand for a special status will be heard in every nook and corner of the state during the movement, he said while speaking at a function here. Those who do not support the demand are not interested in the development of the state, Kumar said. He said the Bihar legislature recently cleared bills to hike the quota for deprived castes from 50 per cent to 65 per cent in government jobs and educational institutions, taking the overall reservation to 75 per cent, on the basis of the caste survey, conducted by the state government. We have planned a number of welfare initiatives

Bihar Assembly approves raising caste quota in govt jobs, education to 65%

The new reservation quota includes 20% for SCs, 2% for STs, 18% for OBCs, and 25% for EBCs

Nitish Kumar in soup over his 'birth control lessons' in Bihar Assembly

A day after his remarks on educated women and family planning sparked controversy, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday apologised for his statement

Bihar caste survey: Here's what it reveals about poverty, jobs in the state

Bihar caste survey: Around 99.49% of people belonging to the SC category in the state have no access to laptops

OBCs decoded: How backward classes in India were categorised and recognised

The Other Backward Class (OBC) is a collective term used to classify castes which are educationally or socially backward

CWC's caste census decision powerful step for liberation of poor: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the party's working committee has taken a "historic decision" unanimously to support the idea of a nationwide caste census, asserting that it is a "powerful step" for the emancipation of the poor. Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Gandhi expressed confidence that a vast majority of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties will support and push for a caste census. If any party has a different opinion, the Congress is flexible, "not fascist", he added. Flanked by the party's chief ministers in four states, Gandhi also said the decision of the CWC to support a caste census is a "very progressive" and "powerful" step for the emancipation of poor people. Talking about the idea of caste census, the former Congress chief said this 'X-ray' is needed for a new paradigm and development in the country. Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked party workers

Congress meet decides caste survey will be its main poll plank in MP

The Congress' central election committee on Saturday held deliberations on the names of candidates for about 140 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh and also decided that the party's main poll plank will be the conduct of a caste survey in the state. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary organisation K C Venugopal and general secretary in charge of the state Randeep Surjewala, state party chief Kamal Nath and members of the central election committee attended the meeting. "The Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting was held (in Delhi) today. We discussed candidates' names for about 140 seats. The names will be finalised in the next 6-7 days," Nath told reporters after the meeting. Surjewala said the issue of a caste survey was discussed at the meeting. "We have decided that (conducting) a caste census in Madhya Pradesh will be our main agenda," Surjewala told reporters. The election to the 230-member assembl

Weekend Bites: RBI kills one bird with one stone, future of 50-over cricket

In which we munch over the week's platter of news and views