The caste genie unleashed by our polity nearly three decades ago has bared its poisonous fangs once again in Karnataka in the run-up to polls, whereby casteism is the cause célèbre. No matter it gives further impetus and widens the caste divide. Who cares?

With 2024 polls round the corner the cacophony for a caste census among Opposition Parties Congress, JD(U), RJD, DMK, NCP and SP is rising as there is no documented data on OBC population. Making it, the most luscious mistress to be measured through the prism of power glass politics. With each Party defining it according to its own warped and selfish needs.

Rahul avers it’s a necessity to ensure social equality, as the caste arithmetic is 90 years old with  the last caste census released in 1931. He demands 2011 caste census made public (done by UPA) and wants Karnataka to breach 50% reservation cap terming it “need of the hour”.

Voters are regressively but decisively voting along caste lines. After all, why should Brahmins and Thakurs, a mere 15% of the vote bank, rule the roost? Plainly, today political consciousness terminates at the caste and community level.

Besides, a caste census would help address historical injustices and discrimination. It would be useful in formulating appropriate policies to target Government welfare schemes and policies ensuring they reach intended beneficiaries. Thereby, giving the rootless down-trodden a new identity and attitudinal changes.

The Government is opposed to this stating that a caste census (except for SC and ST which is done traditionally), is unfeasible, “administratively difficult and cumbersome” and it discourages community distinction based on caste which is against the spirit of the Constitution.  Any such exercise would inflame caste-based social and political sentiments and harm Hindutva nationalist project.

It cited Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv who were opposed to dividing India on caste lines which would be no different from what Britishers did.  Also, several castes are named differently in different States.

The BJP has so far not taken an official position as it could pose a big challenge to its Hindutva campaign which would cause its votes to fragment prior to polls, even as it tries to consolidate different castes in the name of Hindutva.

It could lead to demands for increased representation and reservation for these groups potentially disrupting the existing power dynamics and political representation. Resulting, in new political consciousness among the socially marginalized groups, consequently initiating a new movement for social justice which could marginalize BJP.

Shockingly, 75 years after caste untouchability was abolished by the Constitution, India has failed to democratize the powers and privileges associated with ‘upper’ caste identity with the socially marginalized community remaining distanced from the corridors of power and merely surviving as passive recipients of State’s welfare policies.

Clearly, in the Kafkaesque world where caste identity is sticky baggage, difficult to dislodge in social settings and where caste vs caste fight and decide one’s fate no Party wants to jeopordise its caste vote banks

Woefully, our leaders refuse to see the Frankenstein they have unleashed and are unwilling to learn from history.

With all merrily playing the caste zero-sum game it is now difficult to recognize India as the same country which Emerson described as the “summit of human thought”.Bluntly, if political consciousness terminates at the caste level, the day is not far when divisive caste combinations will dominate Indian politics.

As it stands, vote-banks on caste lines are easier to build. At the same time, it is equally dangerous to indulge in ongoing caste census power games, which, if not arrested, could well boomerang on them and spell danger to our democracy