No division in union cabinet on caste-based census: Moily

Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today said differing views on caste-based census does not mean division in the union cabinet.

Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today said differing views on caste-based census does not mean division in the union cabinet.

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He said that in an argumentative society like India, there are many views. But this does not mean there are divisions in the cabinet or the party.

He was responding to questions on the lack of consensus in the union cabinet meeting on Tuesday on caste-based census.

The OBC leader said caste-based census would be "appropriate" and "more authentic" because no caste-based data is available with regard to the OBCs since 1931.

Asked about reported reservations of Home Minister P Chidambaram to caste-based census, Moily said he was not opposing but only representing the views of the Home Ministry.

Moily's cabinet colleague Farooq Abdullah said the discussions to explore views on caste-based census were for the next census and not the exercise currently underway.

"There is no question of division... The census has already started. So, it is not possible to do it in this census... I don't think it is possible this time to introduce this," Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable Energy, told reporters outside Parliament.

"If it had to be done for this census, this discussion should have been held earlier," said Abdullah who had participated in the discussions on the issue in the cabinet meeting.