Certifying Gujarat's Development

The states political leaderships does not need certificate from people who are not ready to accept the supremacy of the CM of the state. Who would not like to be part of the winning team? Most of the people support the current governments activities but not the means and methods through which it has been carried out. The leadership is quick to gather certificates favorable to their policies towards state and condemn those who give negative certificates. Gujarat attains high economic growth, which none have denied, babus were made to work, metro cities have improved, and so on. Similarly, many things have not gone well like in Agriculture, Human Development, Forest resources, development of small and medium towns, backward regions etc. There cannot be 100 percent success or failure, the governments are supposed to be working no matter who is controlling it.

If the democratic institutions are made to guide the personal agenda's then it cannot be done in its theoretical foundation, the power play of the leadership is strong enough to blow away weak winds of opposition. The praise should be well guarded and so is the criticism, the Gujarat cannot escape from its past and for current CM keeping silence on certain issues would not prove his innocence. There are plenty of people in state who know the mistakes of the 2002, but all have moved ahead not to disapprove suffering of the people rather give chance to peace. We must applaud the scores of people who cannot express their opinion on CM or people from whose hands they suffered, but have absorbed the social and economic shock which came into their life.

The law has taken its own time in deciding on the cases, thus impacting the image of the state and its leadership. Even then moving ahead there are road blocks and issues not solely emerging from the past but current policies of the government. There is eminent danger when leaderships take their criticism as anti-Gujarat and rebukes the idea of negative certificates. No political leadership should be alien to the opposition. This may not be sign of a healthy democracy.

Gujarat Touches 6.03 Crores..mark in Census 2011

On 31st March 2011, Finally on dot the Census provisional results are out for the nation. The Country has exceeded 1.20 billion population have 17 percent of world population (China 19.0 percent). Gujarat has added nearly 10 million people in last decade 2001-2011. It touches 6,03,83,628 persons including 3,14,82,282 males and 2,89,01,346 females having 4.99 percent of country's population. Though low on overall sex ratio, in spite of efforts of the governments, good news is that, there is improvement in juvenile sex ratio (0-6 years) during the period.

The literacy rates have improved to nearly 79.31 percent in Gujarat (74.04 in India) and 87.23 percent males and 70.73 females in state. This is significant improvement given the efforts of the state government on the enrollment of children during 2001-2011. Census 2011 shows further decline in sex ratio in state from 920 to 918 females per thousand females during the two census. Lets wait to check the district figure in terms of population growth and sex ratio.

For more on census results visit: http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/prov_rep_tables.html

Caste and Census 2011 : Debating researchers

Yesterday it happened to be a quite a long afternoon in an heated discussion on the 'inclusion of caste in Census 2011'. Eminent Sociologists acting as panalists dwelled on the the impact and modalities of the caste based census. The following are the observations;

For those Opposing the caste census:
(a) Caste is tricky issue diffecult to enumerate and collect the right information on the individual castes.
(b) People tend to confuse between caste and sub caste would never be able to give the correct information.
(c) Enumeration of Caste at the state level and National level would be different, when caste categories are overlapped, diffrently placed and represented in various parts of country.
(d) Diffecult to draw questionnare.
(e) Our forefathers who drafted the constitution has aimed at casteless society and culturally lot of changes has taken place in Marraiges, customs and caste identieties. Whether the caste enumeration would lead to division in the the society. This would not be rational decision.
(f) The issue of caste has been raised for political gains to take accounts of Other Backward aste (OBC) and would further create tensions in society.
(g) Census of India has no capacity to conduct the caste based census.
(h) The present government is not conducting the caste based census with Census 2011 but seperate excercise which may not be repeated in next census.
(i) Sociologists have never accepted or recommended caste based census in India.

For those Supporting the Caste Based Census

(a) The caste is reality of Indian society, identity of its people and there is no harm in accounting or collecting data as we collect information on other variables of households.
(b) The upper caste and those who are on high social ladder does not want caste to be included in census, since they fear the power of the OBC would be known.
(c) The intellectuals and government officials who holds key position are taking undue advantage of the their position and trying to stop genuine assertation of the backward castes.
(d) The caste based census is not the only demand of the political parties but also of the social organisations working for the backward castes.
(e) Traditionally the census of India has taken counting of the Scheduled Tribes and Castes which have not created any kind of disharmoney rather we were able to concentrate on the development of these social groups. Similarly, the counting of the other caste would also be helpful for the planners to target the communities.
(f) The methodological difficulties needs to be overcome in this case and there are ways to conduct the caste based census.
(g) By our insufficient methods for caste enumeration we can not allow the neglect of very important excercise.

In our view those who are opposing the caste in census are taking caste only as an sociological phenomena and forgets that it also has administrative, political and economic importance. This needs to be better understood after conducted in the census.

The interpretation of the claims of the individuals are subject to discussion by the sociologists, but an individual need not get certificate from the sociologists. Its the immediate society where his or their claims needs to be settled. The claims of the individuals can be settled by the local bodies, panchayats and village elders. The law of heritage makes it stand on the intercaste marraiges, and Hindu Marraige Act also specifies it, then where is fear of placing the bracket.

The simple enumeration excercise as regards to caste categories have been complicated by the misconceived notion of sociologists to tide over the social desires. The identity of persons cannot remain same forever and if he claims to be of 'X' caste then it is their choice. The issue of grants of rights and previlages of the castes rests with the communities. If there is no caste identities or changes caste identities which helps the households to take benefits of social networks then let him do so..at his own will.

Our law does allow any person to change name and claims of caste can only be challenged by the society. Let the census take place and help us in understanding the desires and nature of these castes in India.