BJD MP Sasmit Patra Reinvokes Call for Urgent Caste Census Amid Delimitation Concerns

BJD MP Sasmit Patra has renewed the party's call for an immediate caste census, stressing its importance alongside the general census. With concerns about delimitation and equitable representation, the demand resonates amid India's broader democratic discourse, especially as various political entities express apprehensions over demographic power shifts.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra has once again urged the government to expedite the conduct of both a general and a caste census. Addressing the delay, he noted that the census, originally scheduled for 2021, remains uninitiated post-COVID, leaving crucial delimitation processes undetermined.

Patra expressed concerns about potential disenfranchisement, especially for southern Indian states, which fear seat reductions due to their controlled population growth. He insisted, "Census completion is imperative, accompanied by a caste census." Simultaneously, Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister MK Stalin led a resolution firmly opposing any delimitation based on current population data, urging adherence to the 1971 census figures until 2056.

The all-party meeting in Tamil Nadu saw participation from 58 out of 64 invited groups, unanimously decrying population-based delimitation as a threat to India's federal balance. The resolution advocates for constitutional amendments to ensure equitable representation, reflecting historical census data, to safeguard the southern states' parliamentary influence.

(With inputs from agencies.)