Ahmedabad / Lucknow: Politicians against a caste-based census believe it will increase casteism while those in favour say it will ensure the development of deprived groups.
But on the ground, some poor Muslim women from Dalit and backward communities have shown that the aspiration to move ahead has no caste.
Sufiya Bano decided to contest a municipal poll in Ahmedabad from a Muslim dominated ward as an Independant candidate, when no political party or religious leader backed her.
Sufiya had nothing going for her - she was a Dalit, poor, and had only studied up to class VII.
But as a social worker in the city slums, Sufiya had collected some goodwill and plenty of determination to rise above her caste. She eventually won the election.
"Poor girls and women have bigger aspirations than the rest, and like me, have the strength to work hard for success," said Sufiya Bano, a Taluka Panchayat delegate.
Hashmi, a high school student in Lucknow, has the same fire in her belly. She wants to be a college professor and is already giving Urdu lessons to the children of her locality.
"People who are not educated want their children to study. But the
maulvis and
maulanas tell them - what do you want your daughters to do? Fly planes and take up jobs?" said Hashmi.
Not much has changed in Hashmi's basti of Dalit Muslims since 20 years. Except the way women think, after they became members of the Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, an NGO working for their economic and social rights.
"When I took my sister-in-law for her operation, a
maulana told us, family planning is against Islam. We asked him if Islam was in favour of little children going to bed hungry," said a woman in Hashmi's basti.
All they aspire for is a better life for their children than this, and this aspiration has no caste.