'Lost Traditional Vote Bank...': Akhilesh Slams Congress For Betraying Caste Census Aspirations When In Power

Attacking its INDIA bloc ally, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused Congress of supporting the caste census demand because they have lost their traditional vote bank.

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav attacked its INDIA block ally Congress on caste census, reminding them that the party did not conduct a caste census when it was in power. “Congress is the party that did not conduct caste census after independence… When all the parties in the Lok Sabha were demanding a caste census, they did not conduct a caste census,” news agency ANI quoted Akhilesh as saying in  poll-bound Madhya Pradesh's Satna.

“Why do they want to do so today? Because they know that their traditional vote bank is not with them,” he added. Congress has been demanding from the Centre to hold a caste census. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also launched attack on the PM Modi-led Centre for not agreeing to their demand.

Meanwhile, other INDIA alliance parties have also intensified their demand for a caste census, which only the Central government can conduct as per the law. Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar has done a caste survey, and many other state governments led by opposition parties have declared a similar exercise.

INDIA bloc has been demanding a caste census for the entire country, claiming that it would be conducive to policy-making for different groups in society according to their population. On the other hand, the BJP-led central government has been claiming that the caste census would create “division” in society.

Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government has announced to conduct a caste census in the state if voted to power. Rahul Gandhi reiterated his party’s commitment to holding a caste census. The Congress MP also targeted the Prime Minister, alleging that the PM doesn’t say a word about the caste census.

“I told Prime Minister Modi many times to get the caste census conducted across the country. But he doesn’t say a word about the caste census. Rather he says that there is no caste in the country. If we come to power in the state, we guarantee that we will conduct a caste census. Everybody needs to know about their strength in the country”, Gandhi said while addressing a poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch.

“The government in the state is run by Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with his 53 officers. Out of those 53 officers, there is only one OBC officer. Can you think how much of the decision-making power rests with him? It is 0.33%. He makes decisions on 0.33% of your total budget. Now look at their population, it is more than 50%. The OBC Class is being denigrated”, he added.