Issues and Law: From Caste Census in States to The Kerala Story and the Ministry of Law

Every state ruled by the opposition is eyeing the caste census. Especially, most of the non-BJP ruled states now want caste census to be conducted in their states. In fact, they are seeing their bulk votes in the caste census. In Karnataka, which Congress has won recently, Rahul Gandhi had promised caste census there.

It cannot be said how the Congress will fulfill this promise, because the High Court had stayed the release of the caste census data conducted by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar. When the matter reached the Supreme Court, the order of the High Court was upheld there as well. The Supreme Court said that census or caste census is the subject of the central government, the state cannot get it done on its own.

It is noteworthy that Odisha was also about to start such a census, Bihar has completed it and Congress had promised to this effect in Karnataka. Now all these have been banned. Rahul Gandhi has said earlier that whoever has a share in the population, he should get the benefit of reservation in the same proportion, but after the ban on the caste census, doubt has arisen on the implementation of this scheme.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court has also given some orders on the film “The Kerala Story”. Actually, many states had made it tax free, but West Bengal had banned this film itself. The Supreme Court has asked the Bengal government on Thursday to lift the ban on the film immediately and if you have any apprehension of a fight or riot, arrangements should be made for the safety of the people watching the film, but in this way you cannot impose a ban.

In fact the film “The Kerala Story” is the story of conversion of thirty two thousand women. Many have said that it could be a story of one or two women. There is no proof of where the figure of 32,000 women came from. The film producer’s lawyer also admitted in the court that yes, there is no proof of this figure. On this, the court has asked to put a disclaimer on the conversion of 32,000 to Islam by the evening of May 20. This film should not be played without disclaimer.

On the other hand, this ministry has been snatched from the Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and given to Arjun Ram Meghwal. Everyone knows that Rijiju’s harsh statements about the judiciary and the judges were causing a lot of trouble. This is the reason why the law ministry has been taken away from him. As far as giving this ministry to Arjun Ram Meghwal is concerned, by doing so BJP is trying to make some profit in Rajasthan elections.

Secondly, Meghwal is considered a serious and sensible leader. He will never make fiery statements like Rijiju. This is also the reason for the change in portfolio so that there is no tension between the judiciary and the government in future.