Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday renewed his demand for the inclusion of caste column in the census, arguing that a caste-based enumeration would make it easier to ensure rights and dignity of all communities.
Talking to media persons in his parliamentary constituency Kannauj, the SP chief said a caste census would provide clarity on the numerical strength of each caste and help in framing equitable policies.
“The census should include a caste column. A caste census will reveal the population of each caste, making it easier to ensure their rights and respect,” he said.
He also called for the census to record causes of death, citing fatalities during the Covid-19 vaccination drive. “Many people died during vaccination in the pandemic. The census should also include information on causes of death and diseases,” he added.
Yadav said the Samajwadi Party has had a long association with Kannauj and accused the BJP government of stalling the development works initiated during the Samajwadi regime.
“The BJP government has ruined the development works undertaken by the Samajwadi government in Kannauj. Many development projects and schemes have been halted. The government has ruined facilities at the Kannauj Medical College, while work on the Paramedical College remains incomplete,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The BJP government has ruined the development works undertaken by the Samajwadi government in Kannauj. Many development projects and schemes have been halted. The government has ruined facilities at the Kannauj Medical College, while work on the Paramedical College remains incomplete,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Responding to a question on Shankaracharya, Yadav accused the BJP government of insulting the religious leader. “The government has no answer to what Shankaracharya said. The chief minister calls himself a Yogi but did not allow Shankaracharya to take a holy dip,” he said, alleging that the BJP was spreading hatred “from the North to the Northeast”.
On remarks by the Assam chief minister, Yadav said he was driven by divisive politics. “He has nothing to do for Assam and spreads hatred only to stay in power,” Yadav said, adding that BJP leaders would have “no answer” if asked how much India’s territory had reduced during the BJP’s tenure.
He also backed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s demand regarding the plane crash involving Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, saying the circumstances of the accident warranted investigation.
On the Samajwadi Party’s PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) plank, Yadav said the BJP was “afraid of the strength of PDA”.
“PDA defeated the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. We must remain alert to BJP conspiracies,” he said, alleging voter deletions in Kannauj. He urged party workers to remain vigilant and intensify efforts during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.