Kerala’s ruling and Opposition parties appear to have found themselves in a tricky position on the question of holding a national socio-economic caste census (SECC), with two influential Hindu social organisations in the State pitting themselves at the opposite extremes of the prickly political debate.
The divergent and arguably irreconcilable views of the forward caste Nair Service Society (NSS) and the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), which champions the cause of the backward class Ezhava community, on the touchy subject have prompted political parties to strike a cautious tone.
It seems not to have helped Congress-NSS relations in Kerala that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has called for a national caste census to recalibrate ostensibly the reservation structure. The AICC promises to hold a caste census in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh if it wins the upcoming State Assembly elections.
