Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Pasmanda Leader Accuses BJP of Undermining Caste Census Questionnaire
Ali Anwar Ansari is asking the government to conduct a careful caste census.
He says the questionnaire is too open-ended and could create confusion.
He worries that the results might not be released properly, as he says happened with the 2011 Census caste data.
Ansari wants the government to use Bihar’s caste survey as a model.
He also wants official caste lists to be provided to people filling out the form.
This would help people write the names of their recognised castes correctly.
He says the census should show how many people belong to different castes and their social and economic conditions.
The government had agreed last year to conduct a caste census after public pressure.
Ali Anwar Ansari accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to sabotage this year’s caste census.
Ansari said the census questionnaire’s open-ended format could repeat problems associated with the 2011 Census caste data.
He urged the Centre to model the exercise on Bihar’s 2022–23 caste-based survey.
He called for official state and central caste lists to be included with questions on SC, ST, OBC and General categories.
Ansari alleged that anti-reservation groups, including some among Muslims, were urging respondents to write “Muslim” instead of their biradari.
- Who
- Ali Anwar Ansari, president of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz and a former Rajya Sabha MP, made the criticism.
- What
- He accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to undermine this year’s caste census and called for changes to its questionnaire.
- When
- The statement was issued on Sunday; Ansari said the Centre had agreed to conduct the census last year.
- Where
- The press release was issued from New Delhi and discussed the census across India.
- Why
- Ansari said official caste lists and a clearer questionnaire were needed to prevent confusion and document caste populations and socio-economic conditions.
- Speaker
- Ali Anwar Ansari, president of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz and former Rajya Sabha MP
- Census at issue
- India’s planned caste census for this year
- Main criticism
- Ansari said the open-ended questionnaire could cause confusion and repeat problems linked to the 2011 Census caste data.
- Suggested model
- Bihar’s caste-based survey conducted in 2022–23
- Requested additions
- Official caste lists maintained by state governments and the Centre
- Categories mentioned
- Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and the General category
- Earlier advocacy
- Ansari said he first raised the caste census issue in the Rajya Sabha on 18 December 2009