NEW DELHI: Hundreds of intellectuals, writers, artists, students and leaders representing various walks of civil society took out a protest march against the inclusion of caste in the census 2011 on Wednesday.
The march was led by Dr V P Vaidik, founder and national convener of Meri Jati Hindustani Movement. The march was taken out from Barakhamba Road and culminated at Jantar Mantar, where a public meeting was convened. Former ministers Balram Jakhar, Ram Jethmalani, Arif M Khan and former chief of joint intelligence, R K Madhok, and dancer Uma Sharma among others also joined the protesters.
Addressing the gathering, Jethmalani said that he was ready to shed the last drop of his blood to fight for this noble cause. He also quoted a letter of erstwhile leader of East India Company, Lord Clive, who had said that as long as caste system is alive in India, there is no threat to the British Empire. "The caste in the census will create a new monster which will demolish a modern India. Every right-thinking Indian must oppose this regressive idea,'' said Jethmalani.
Khan said that caste enumeration is a case of bad mathematics. It is unscientific. It will not benefit the poor. It will serve the narrow purpose of the creamy layers of the backward people. Other speakers noted that to divide India on the basis of caste would be a big embarrassment for an emerging world power like India.
