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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 4:59:11 pm

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister,...

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, has pursued a series of policy initiatives and administrative reforms to address the state’s mounting ecological vulnerabilities. As extreme weather events intensify and climate risks spread across the state, she has sought to build a more systematic response through institutional restructuring, regulatory interventions and public participation. Maharashtra is among the country’s most climate-vulnerable states, having recorded 142 extreme weather events in 2024 alone. More than 94 per cent of its districts are susceptible to climate change, while the frequency of hot days has doubled, droughts and coastal cyclones have tripled, and floods have quadrupled over the past decade. Against this backdrop, Munde has adopted a methodical approach, keeping much of her focus on administrative work rather than the political controversies and media glare that marked her earlier career. At the policy level, she has established the Maharashtra State River Rejuvenation Authority to help maintain natural river flows and curb water pollution. A Carbon Market Facilitation Cell has been launched to implement the state’s carbon credit policy, while her department has collaborated with the iFOREST organisation to develop a comprehensive Just Transition Roadmap. The initiative seeks to ensure that the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources does not leave vulnerable communities behind. Munde has also restructured the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority to strengthen regulatory oversight. A special task force has been formed to promote large-scale bamboo cultivation, with a target of covering 15,738 hectares by October 2025. Clean-up initiatives across 11 beaches have improved local environments. Five beaches — Parnaka in Dahanu, Shrivardhan, Nagaon, Guhagar and Ladghar — have been selected to pursue international Blue Flag certification through Denmark’s Foundation for Environmental Education. Munde has also sought to bring environmental conservation closer to communities. A resolution was passed to develop at least one man-made Devrai (sacred grove) and Ghanvan (dense forest) in every taluka, with the aim of preserving local biodiversity. Her effort to make religious celebrations more environmentally conscious received a striking showcase at the Eco-friendly Maha Ganesh Idol Workshop in Vashi, Mumbai. More than 10,000 students simultaneously crafted Shadu clay idols, securing a Guinness World Record for the state. Complementing these measures is the statewide Paryavaran Vachva Vasundhara Sajva (Save the Environment, Adorn the Earth) campaign. Munde has personally visited religious sites to persuade traders and citizens to give up single-use plastics. Whether or not these initiatives translate into lasting ecological gains, they nonetheless signal an attempt to give Maharashtra’s environmental administration a more proactive identity.

Caste-based Census Sparks Nationwide Debate

Writer: Darshan Solanki
Darshan Solanki
Oct 2, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

Caste-based Census

Caste-based identities continue to dominate rural India, directly or indirectly shaping electoral outcomes. Many major elections are influenced by specific caste groups. After the Bihar government released the first phase of its caste-based socio-economic survey, the caste census became a hot topic. The results, backed by evidence, showed improvements in the living standards and social status of marginalised communities, both in cities and villages. With parties like the JDU and NCP backing a caste census, there is growing momentum for the government to conduct one. However, every story has two sides—joy and sorrow. Even Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, raised concerns about the caste census.

Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of being “anti-Bahujan.” The clear meaning is that his father and forefather refused to execute a caste-based census, which might have far-reaching effects and even permanently fracture India’s social fabric. This may be negative for caste-based beneficiaries. The last caste census in India was conducted in 1931 by the British government. Those times were different from the present scenario. The data was made public and became the basis for the Mandal Commission Reports and reservation policies for Other Backward Classes. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has clarified that the caste-based population count data will not be used for core politics. But the agenda for politics is always twisted and expanded.

The Central Government also joined the legal debate by filing an affidavit with the Supreme Court, leaving the matter unresolved. India’s partition, rooted in the divide-and-rule strategy, is frequently cited as a cautionary tale. Including caste in official census data could further deepen social divides. This issue has become a political pressure point, with various states pushing the Centre for action. Although the Constitution uses the term “class” instead of “caste,” the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that caste is a relevant, and at times, sole or dominant criterion for defining a backward class.

After the release of caste-based census data in Bihar, discussions around conducting similar censuses have gained momentum in states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. Karnataka, which has already conducted its own caste census, may release its data soon as well.

Notably, all these states are governed by anti-BJP parties. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also announced that Congress-ruled states have committed to carrying out caste censuses. Meanwhile, the BJP has remained silent on the matter, creating a significant roadblock.

Caste-based censuses focus on proportional representation in areas like jobs and education, with the argument that this will aid in targeted planning for the disadvantaged. However, the situation remains unclear, much like a foggy winter morning. The BJP’s stance on caste-based censuses and reservations seems different, as they fear the caste-based calculations could fragment their traditional Hindu voter base—an underlying concern for the party.

Professor Sanjay Kumar from The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, says, “Let alone the BJP; no party can openly oppose it; it is not free from danger. BJP gets a large number of votes from the OBC community, their population across the country would be around 52%. Another downside is that the caste-based censuses could disrupt the balance of socio-economic zones. Data theft is a common issue in government systems, and people may feel disconnected from their actual rights.

The moot question is that if the financial status of an ST/SC/OBC or Dalit citizen moves up by a few notches, will his social status change automatically? The lifestyle of any class will only change when the income of a particular class is changed. The actual source of income is employment. The reality is that only metro cities have enough place and space for workers. Aside from the GIDC and IT sectors, less than 30% of industries have their own designated vacancy periods. After a decade, the Jamnagar and Rajkot Corporations have opened their doors to newcomers alongside experienced staff. However, age and caste bias often operate behind the scenes. It’s important to recognise that poverty is also widespread among many upper-caste individuals, and their needs cannot be overlooked. In the overall interests of the nation, terms like SC/ST/OBC, Dalits, etc. must be deleted from the nation’s vocabulary. Every citizen should have only one classification, that of being an ‘Indian’, in the spirit of the constitution.

Last year, when the Bihar government decided to conduct a caste survey in the state, the BJP was also Nitish Kumar’s partner in the state government, and it supported it. Political expert and former professor of Tata Institute of Social Science, Pushpendra Kumar, says, “It is not that the BJP does not talk about caste. It tries to reveal the caste of the Prime Minister as well. For caste politics, the BJP also tried hard to raise the issue of Pasmanda Muslims.”

(The writer is a management professional based in Ahmedabad. Views personal.)

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