Criticising the government’s decision to conduct a separate census for caste-count, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav on Tuesday said the proposed exercise does not match their demand.
Yadav told a press conference that they had sought the compilation of data on the socio-economic status of various caste-groups, so that problems of social, economic and educational backwardness could be addressed. What the government initiative would yield would be just the numerical strength of each caste-group. “It would be a wastage of money, time and effort,” he added. These figures, according to him, “would only help parties (in selecting their candidates) in the polls.”
“We register our objection to this decision,” Yadav said, claiming that it was contrary to the commitment made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee to all parties that caste would be included in the census. “They have failed to keep their word,” he said.
The JD(U) chief called for an immediate review of the decision and suggested that caste identification be incorporated in the ongoing exercise, being conducted under Census Act, 1948.
