Caste census in India--the U.S. has done it!
Should caste be counted in the census?
Should caste be included in Indian census?
Is caste-count in census relevant in this age?
Caste In Census – Govt. decision catches Cong off-guard
BREAKING NEWS
CASTE BASED CENSUS OUTSOURCED TO US A?
In the summer of 1988 I was researching on the size of the middle class in some cities in Tamilnadu .I began by writing to the census offices in Delhi and Chennai but was unable to get any help.I contacted the National Sample Survey who acted as if I was a Pakistani spy. In frustration I met a friend of mine who was a top manager in the HINDU newspaper and sought his help.He whispered to me that the most reliable source of statistics about India was the USA!!
I did precisely that and in just 3 days I had the data I sought.
Cut to 2009. I was writing a book of short stories. One of these stories was set in Madras—as Chennai was known in late 1960's-- and the event takes place on the very evening when a cyclone struck the city. As a school student I recollect going to the Marina beach to witness a rare spectacle—a Greek Ship STAMATIS had been tossed by winds from high seas to the city beach. My story was against this background and to lend authenticity I needed the precise date when this event took place. I spoke to the Chennai met. department but they told me, predictably, that they had no records of that unusual event .They even doubted that such a cylone had struck the city!!
However I was not to be deterred by this stonewalling. I wrote the story differently with no reference to the date.The book has been published and is a best seller[TEN MINUTES TO CREATIVITY—ST.PAUL'S PUBLICATIONS MUMBAI]
I however persisted with my resolve to ascertain the date of the cyclone and guess where I found the information? The USA !
Here comes the climax of my current story
Today--20th may—is WORLD JAT DAY . We are all enjoined to pray for the jat community.Who says so ? Hereby hangs a tale.
I have always admired the American obsession for researched data, the kind that enables them to give data hungry guys like me the kind of information that helps me in reaching informed conclusions rather than rely on ' feelings' as many of us do.
When the debate about caste based census in India broke out I took a bet with my friends that caste data about India might well be available in the US.
I googled for this subject and sure enough I got data on a scale that is mind boggling. . A research body in the US has done a street by street analysis of caste configuration in India with an accuracy that is unlikely to be matched by our poorly paid, poorly trained and poorly motivated census staff.
Talk about a data mining society that is the US.
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To be fair to this US organisation I must add that they have religionwise, sectwise denominationwise data for every country in the world .The data collection is so meticulous that you can find out the dress code , manners , customs, dietary habits and socio economic status of any community in the world Also you can ascertain how ripe a set of people are for harvesting of souls or you can decide to pray that their souls may be saved .Today you can pray for jats. Tommorow couLd be your turn for this benefit.
K.R.RAVI
P.S If you need details about this organisation please let me know
