Ex-Army chief flags security risk of caste census, former diplomat differs

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By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, October 13: Discourse over the demand for caste census is now no more limited to the political ecosystem. Military veterans, former diplomats are also throwing their hats in the debating ring on the caste census. Former Army Chief Ved Malik has expressed concern that the caste census could potentially cause security risk for the country.

“Caste census/identities will enable political leaders to further divide Indian society for electoral reasons. This is not in our national security interest,” Malik said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, underlining that it was his opinion.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) in a resolution passed on Monday has supported the demand for caste census, while the party has promised to undertake surveys in states ruled by it. Bihar came out with the findings of the caste survey, which estimated that the backward castes constituted almost 63 per cent of the population in the state in terms of numbers. Karnataka is awaiting an economic assessment of the people, while Odisha has commissioned a socio-economic caste survey.

“On the contrary, it empowers the people. Even after 7 decades, transfer of power remains incomplete in India. Calculus of power remains in the hands of the elites,” countered former diplomat MK Bhadrakumar in a response to Gen (Retd) Malik.

Raju Chauahn, another military veteran, who is a Major General (Retd), echoed Malik’s concern, arguing that a fractured society could create more internal disturbances. While the polarizing issue of caste census has bolted the political space, the Central government has maintained that only the Centre can hold Census in the country.

Incidentally, Census 2021 is yet to take off. The Congress, which had opposed former Prime Minister VP Singh while he moved the Mandal Commission report for implementation is now the votary of the caste census in the country. The Congress ally DMK had hosted a conclave of the Opposition parties in Chennai early this year where they had resolved to build a political template around social justice for the next Lok Sabha elections.

While Malik didn’t elaborate his concerns of the caste census compromising national security interest, the only visible linkage appears to be the ongoing Manipur violence, which violently divided the state on ethnic lines after the High Court gave the direction for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the list of scheduled tribes.