'Caste Census Must For Ram Rajya': Akhilesh Yadav

A caste census and reservations based on the population of the SC, ST, and OBC communities were demands made by several opposition parties, including the Congress and the JD(U), days prior to Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav's statement.

Pic:IANS

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said that socialism is at the core of the great idea of "Ram Rajya" and that it can only be achieved through a caste census as a dig at the governing BJP. A caste census and reservations based on the population of the SC, ST, and OBC communities were demands made by several opposition parties, including the Congress and the JD(U), days prior to Yadav's statement. Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress, even wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to request an updated caste census. He claimed that without this information, meaningful social justice and empowerment programmes would be lacking. Nitish Kumar, the leader of the JD (U) and the chief minister of Bihar, backed the Congress party's demand.

Taking to Twitter, Akhilesh Yadav said in Hindi, "Socialism is the root of the great concept of Ram Rajya. Socialism implements in a true manner on the ground principles like treating everyone equal without discrimination, embracing (one another) with love, giving equal opportunity to everyone and social security." "Ram Rajya is possible only through caste census, which will deliver true social justice," he added.

रामराज्य की महान अवधारणा का मूल ही समाजवाद है। समाजवाद बिना भेदभाव सबको बराबर मानने व प्रेम से गले लगाने, सबको बराबर मौके व सामाजिक सुरक्षा का अभयत्व देने जैसे सिद्धांतों को सही मायनों में ज़मीन पर उतारता है।

रामराज्य, जातीय जनगणना से ही सभंव होगा, जो सच्चा सामाजिक न्याय करेगी। pic.twitter.com/YSQG10cxjW — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) April 22, 2023

The demand for a caste census is likely to test BJP's outreach to the backward classes. While the Bihar unit of the BJP had supported a resolution for a caste census in the state, the party's central leadership is yet to respond to the demand for it.

Second Phase Of Caste Census In Bihar

The second phase of the caste-based census has started in the State and will continue till May 15, said Dr Chandrashekhar Singh, DM, Patna on Wednesday (19 April, 2022). The decision of a caste census was taken by the Bihar cabinet on June 2, last year, months after the Centre ruled out conducting such an exercise nationally. The first phase of the caste-based census in Bihar began on January 7 and ended on January 21.I nforming about the involvement of people in the second phase of the caste-based census, DM Singh said, "All the families are sharing information positively".

The second phase of the survey will involve gathering data on people from all castes, sub-castes, and socioeconomic conditions backgrounds. The survey, in its second phase, would cover an estimated population of 12.70 crores across 2.58 crore households in 38 districts, further spread over 534 blocks and 261 urban local bodies. The survey would be completed by May 31, this year.A caste-based headcount will be conducted across all 38 districts in two stages.