New Delhi [India]: Bahujan Samaj Party Mayawati on Wednesday said that a caste-based census should be conducted across the country including in Uttar Pradesh.
Referring to the ruling by the Patna High Court, which has approved the caste census by the Bihar government, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh said that demand for a similar census in UP was gaining momentum but the ruling BJP was not prepared for it.
The BSP supremo said, “After the Patna High Court fully legalized the caste census being conducted by the Bihar government to make a development plan according to the correct assessment of the economic, educational and social status of the OBC society, all eyes are now on UP. When will this necessary process be implemented here?”
Mayawati said that the caste census was necessary in the country just like the implementation of the recommendations of the Mandal Commission.
The BSP leader said that the caste census was essential to ensure social justice, to bring the poor, weak, neglected and exploited people of society into the social mainstream and for the overall development of the country.
The Patna High Court had on August 1, dismissed all petitions challenging the conduct of a caste survey in Bihar by the state government.
The decision of a caste census was taken by the Bihar cabinet on June 2 last year, months after the Centre ruled out such an exercise.
The survey would cover an estimated population of 12.70 crore in an estimated 2.58 crore households in 38 districts, which have 534 blocks and 261 urban local bodies.