New Delhi, May 2 2025 (ANI): Spiritual Teacher and founder of PrashantAdvait Foundation Acharya Prashant on Friday said that data collection is "neither forward nor backward", adding that it is the intention behind caste census that matters the most.
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00:00Like any action, it depends on the intention here.
00:07See, caste census simply means collecting more data, authentic data,
00:12and data in itself is neither forward nor backward, good nor bad.
00:19It depends on what you want to, what you intend to do with the data.
00:23If you want to identify the marginalized groups in a better way
00:30so that more accurate and more efficient policymaking can happen,
00:36then it's a good step, a forward step.
00:41If you want to know how, let's say, even within the OBCs,
00:48the different subgroups are fearing now economically
00:52as a result of several decades of reservations,
00:57and you want to use that in a constructive way, the data,
01:01then it's a forward step.
01:03If you want to build hospitals, schools,
01:07and if you want to implement other kinds of welfare measures,
01:12affirmative, distributive, based on the caste data,
01:15then obviously it's a good thing, data empowers.
01:21On the other hand, if you will use this data to further cement caste identification,
01:29then obviously it's a step backward.
01:31If you will use this data for electoral gains
01:35by targeting particular caste groups concentrated in particular electorates or geographies,
01:43then obviously it's a backward thing.
01:46If you will say, you know, this kind of data has emerged,
01:50and therefore now this kind of emotional mobilization can happen,
01:56then that's a backward thing.
01:58All in all, since the last caste census happened in 1931,
02:04almost been 100 years now,
02:06it is prima facie good to obtain data,
02:11but the fears are justified.
02:14This data might not be put to positive or constructive use.
02:21That we have to guard against.
02:23Also, in your point of view,
02:25can a caste census help fulfill the vision of Dr. Amritskar or Mark Mofillian for that matter?
02:32See, obviously,
02:34it's a basic rule of any kinds of operations or processes.
02:40What is important is measured.
02:42That's the rule.
02:43What is important is measured.
02:45If you want to work on a patient's health,
02:49then don't you keep frequently measuring her vital parameters.
02:53The doctor says this kind of checkup every week and show me the reports.
02:58Those numbers have to be seen.
03:00Similarly,
03:01we will want to know how the marginalized groups have done in terms of education,
03:09in terms of prosperity,
03:11in terms of mobility,
03:13in terms of ownership of wealth,
03:16in terms of gender equality.
03:19We will want to know these things.
03:20So, this data should obviously go in that direction.
03:29But there are apprehensions.
03:31It might be misused.
03:33So, we have to be careful.
03:36Actually, it is because of the apprehensions
03:38that this much of halabu that we saw
03:41and on the entire political circus that we experienced,
03:44all that was there.
03:45Because one political side is trying to gain leverage at the cost of the other.
03:51And all this is mostly being played out
03:53as things in political chess.
03:57So, these are just moves.
03:59And the fear is that the targeted sections
04:04might not really benefit out of these moves
04:07and only the political parties might benefit.
04:10So, on that,
04:11there is a lot of debate
04:13and there is a lot of words that are being carried out
04:16saying that some are saying that caste census
04:18will further divide the society.
04:21Yeah.
04:22Or while others say it is essential for justice.
04:25What is your take between the two?
04:27See, it is not essential that it will divide the society.
04:32But given how things are,
04:33given how our leaders are,
04:35given how every bit of information or resource
04:40is put only to one kind of use,
04:42which is to accumulate more power,
04:43it is quite likely that this data will be misused.
04:49You see, if something is known about somebody,
04:52it is not automatically that that thing
04:56becomes that person's identity.
04:59So, the fears regarding identification,
05:02they are not something that will spontaneously
05:06or naturally or necessarily come true.
05:08But the problem happens
05:10when you start looking at a person
05:12only through this monochromatic lens of caste.
05:18Now I know your caste.
05:20Now I know the caste of your surroundings.
05:21Now I know how you have done
05:23or how you have numerically grown.
05:26So I will accord just one identity to you.
05:29And that identity is that of your caste or sub-caste
05:33or one or any other kind of divisive identity.
05:37Then that's a problem.
05:38Otherwise, data is just data.
05:41Data is a very neutral,
05:43very non-partisan, very secular thing.
05:46If I know which background
05:49the people in this hall, for example,
05:51where people are coming from,
05:52that does not necessarily imply
05:54that there is going to be
05:56a follow-up process of identification.
05:58But that might happen.
05:59That is likely to happen.
06:01And that is what we are saying
06:02that we must watch out against.