Overview
- Writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 10, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin welcomed the Centre’s move to include caste details in the forthcoming population census.
- He proposed a formal mechanism involving chief ministers and representatives of States and Union Territories to discuss and refine the caste-enumeration guidelines.
- Stalin cautioned that caste enumeration is an exceedingly sensitive exercise that could trigger unintended tensions if not handled with utmost care.
- He called for precise, inclusive question design, clear classification of categories and sub-categories, rigorous methodology, and pilot testing to ensure accuracy and public trust.
- Noting Tamil Nadu’s earlier Assembly resolutions seeking such data, he said the decision vindicates the State’s long-standing demand and expressed confidence in the Prime Minister’s leadership to uphold federal principles.