Caste census historic: BJP; slams Oppn for seeking credit
New Delhi: BJP leaders on Thursday welcomed the Central government's landmark decision to include caste-based enumeration in the upcoming national census while firmly rejecting the Opposition's attempts to claim credit for the move. Following the Centre's announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asserted that the decision reflected his party's long-standing commitment to social justice.
He claimed the Modi government had bowed to pressure and embraced the Congress-led Opposition's developmental agenda. The Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) made similar claims, stating the BJP had accepted their decades-old demands.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had also claimed, 'This is a victory of our ancestors, socialist leaders and socialism. We have continuously fought for this. Our leaders have raised the issue time and again, whether on the streets, in the Assembly, or in court. Even today, we are strongly advocating for it, and now the BJP and NDA are being forced to dance to our tune.'
Rejecting such claims, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the bold and historic step. Speaking to IANS, Maurya said, 'Neither Congress, nor the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal or INDIA bloc can take credit for this. If anyone deserves credit, it is PM Modi. He comes from a backward class and has risen to the highest office in the country. Many could not tolerate this and continuously opposed him -- they removed his head from posters, abused him, and used derogatory language against him.'
'I and the nation congratulate PM Modi for the historic and revolutionary step. The Opposition has given up now,' he added.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad also welcomed the decision, calling it historic and transformative.
'Today, I thank PM Modi, he took a historic step. Now, when the census takes place, it will be revealed which section of society is suffering what kind of problems. Who is educated, who is deprived, everything will come to light, and the schemes and policies will be implemented accordingly,' he said.
Nishad further criticised past governments for discontinuing the caste census.
'These people have no right to speak. The British were better than these people, they conducted the census in 1931-41. These people stopped it in 1951, it has remained closed since then. There was so much discrepancy that the Nishads, who were 70 lakh in 1961, were put in OBC category. These people just keep making baseless claims,' Nishad added. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa echoed the sentiment, praising PM Modi's leadership.
'We wholeheartedly welcome the commitment made by the Prime Minister. He had promised that a nationwide census would be conducted, and through a caste census, we would be able to understand who needs what and where. Only then can appropriate action be taken. If the country is to move forward and become a 'Viksit Bharat', it must take all sections of society along,' he said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh took a direct swipe at RJD and Congress, saying, 'Lalu Prasad spent his life obeying Sonia Gandhi, suppressed reservation, and thrived under Congress. He ruled in the name of the Mandal Commission but never implemented it. It is Narendra Modi who has cleansed the decades-old sins of Lalu and Congress.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bengaluru stampede: BJP blames Congress duo Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar for tragedy
R Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition, blamed the Bengaluru stampede on the rivalry between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, accusing them of prioritizing credit for RCB's IPL victory over public safety. He criticized Shivakumar's airport photo op and the lack of emergency services, calling the deaths "government-sponsored murder. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly , R Ashoka, on Wednesday pointed to the "shadow boxing" between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as the cause of confusion that led to the tragic stampede in a statement, the BJP leader said the rivalry between the two leaders, as they vied to claim credit for RCB's IPL victory, was responsible for the mishap, calling the deaths a "government-sponsored murder." He alleged that the Deputy CM rushed to the airport to pose for photographs with the players instead of overseeing arrangements in Bengaluru, while the police remained clueless about the procession. He also noted the absence of ambulances and fire brigades at the demanded ₹25 lakh in compensation for the families of the deceased and called on the government to fully cover the medical expenses of the injured.
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Opposition demands details of Supreme Court findings on Justice Varma
Some Opposition parties are urging the government to share with them the findings of the Supreme Court-appointed panel against high court judge Yashwant Varma in the "cash seizure" case as the ruling side is seeking multi-party support for its push for bringing an impeachment motion against the judge. The more damning the findings, the more inclined the Opposition would be to back the proposed impeachment move, said people familiar with the matter, even as leaders of Opposition parties including the Congress were still firming up their formal response. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju informally reached out to at least two Congress MPs, and some regional parties, seeking support for the motion. "I can't say what is going on between the government and Opposition on the impeachment issue. But, according to the rules, the Members of Parliament, not the government, can move an impeachment motion against a judge with the required number of signatures for admission. So, for us MPs, to sign the proposed impeachment motion, we would require knowing what exactly the case for impeachment against justice Varma is," said Congress' Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha, a senior advocate. "So, we expect the government side to share with the Opposition the findings of the Supreme Court-appointed panel that looked into the complaints against justice Varma." Tankha had earlier written to the Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, urging him to take steps to ensure MPs' get access to the panel's findings. Some sections in the Opposition nurse a grudge against the government earlier opposing and blocking the Opposition push for impeachment of the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Allahabad High Court judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav. There is yet another section which views the case against justice Varma with a sense of suspicion and as part of a crafty manoeuvre. Yet, many in the Opposition feel that the prospect of the ruling side unveiling, formally or informally, critical findings of corruption by the Supreme Court-appointed panel against justice Varma, and the fact that the CJI had forwarded that findings to the government for considering action against the judge, would guide the Opposition's response. Live Events "Corruption in the judiciary is a matter of concern for all citizens and political parties. It cannot be tolerated, and strong measures must be taken to root it out. At the same time, the independence of the judiciary is crucial and the judiciary must remain free from political influence," said D Raja of the CPI, which has two MPs in both Houses. "As far as the impeachment motion is concerned, the government should consult with Opposition parties. It should not assume that it can proceed unilaterally on such important matters."
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
BJP Blames Congress Duo for Tragedy
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly , R Ashoka, on Wednesday pointed to the "shadow boxing" between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as the cause of confusion that led to the tragic stampede in Bengaluru. In a statement, the BJP leader said the rivalry between the two leaders, as they vied to claim credit for RCB's IPL victory, was responsible for the mishap, calling the deaths a "government-sponsored murder." He alleged that the Deputy CM rushed to the airport to pose for photographs with the players instead of overseeing arrangements in Bengaluru, while the police remained clueless about the procession. He also noted the absence of ambulances and fire brigades at the stadium. Ashoka demanded ₹25 lakh in compensation for the families of the deceased and called on the government to fully cover the medical expenses of the injured.
