Union minister Ramdas Athawale backs demand for caste-based census

The government should think about it, said Athawale, minister of state for social justice and empowerment.His party does not believe that such an enumeration would promote casteism, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader from Maharashtra, told reporters.

Union minister and NDA ally Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the Republican Party of India (A), his party, favours caste-based census.

Janata Dal (United) and Apna Dal, two other NDA allies, have already supported the demand. The BJP-led Union government, on the other hand, recently told the Supreme Court that carrying out a caste-based census was not feasible.

"My party is of the view that the census should be caste-based. The government should think about it,'' said Athawale, minister of state for social justice and empowerment.

His party does not believe that such an enumeration would promote casteism, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader from Maharashtra, told reporters.