The Congress and Samajwadi Party in Madhya Pradesh on Friday demanded a caste-based census ahead of the assembly elections later this year
Talking to reporters, state Congress Committee state president Kamal Nath said: “Caste census is very necessary for balance, why should it not be done? After all, what are these people (BJP-led state and central government) afraid of and what are they trying to hide? The caste census should be done immediately.”
He added: “The state has many variations in caste, from Bundelkhand to Mahakaushal to Gwalior Chambal. There is an ethnic and caste diversity here. This will come out in the open in the census. The other backward classes (OBCs) will get a justified place in reservations through this survey.”
The Samajwadi Party echoed similar sentiments and said it has started holding meetings and rallies across districts over the demand.
“The BJP is afraid of caste census because it’s a party of upper-caste people. The caste census will reveal how much injustice is being done to the OBCs. They are not getting benefits and reservations. In Madhya Pradesh, the population of OBC is more than 50% but they are not getting even 27% of the total quota,” state party chief Ramayan Singh Patel said.
“We have submitted a memorandum to the governor, demanding the same,” he added.
The BJP called the demand a “political stunt”. “The state government has already informed the high court and Supreme Court about the OBC population, so they (opposition) cannot say that reservation is getting delayed due to the census,” BJP OBC wing leader Narayan Singh Kushwaha said.
