"For INDI alliance, social justice is a political tool", says Anupriya Patel

New Delhi [India], May 1 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Anupriya Patel on Thursday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre's decision to include caste in the forthcoming census. Patel termed the decision as "historic." Criticising the Opposition, she said that social justice for the INDI alliance is a political tool, but for the NDA, it is a commitment.
Speaking to ANI, Patel said, "I want to thank Prime Minister Modi. Our government has taken a historic decision; I welcome this decision. For INDI alliance, social justice is a political tool, but for the NDA, social justice is our commitment. We have taken many decisions in this regard earlier also."
She further questioned the Opposition's intention and said, " I just want to ask the opposition colleagues that when you were in the government, who stopped you from taking this decision..."
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also launched a scathing attack on the Opposition parties for claiming credit for the Centre's decision to conduct a caste census.
Speaking to ANI, Deputy Chief Minister Maurya said, " Opposition ....whatever they say, but they had enough time when they were in power....10 years, Rahul Gandhi ran the Manmohan Singh govt at the Centre, Akhilesh Yadav backed Congress led government, RJD also backed Congress led govt but none of them did anything for backward people."Maurya further lauded PM Modi as one who works for the backward classes and various communities. "PM Modi is the one who worked for backward class people...he has done a lot of work for various communities...", he said.
Earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, welcoming the Union Cabinet's decision to include a caste census in the upcoming national census. He said that this will truly open the doors to social justice.
Speaking to ANI, Shinde described the decision as "historic." "Yesterday's decision is historic for all the people of the country...people who belong to backwards classes can be brought to the mainstream...everybody will get justice from this...Shiv Sena welcomes this decision," he said.
"Since independence, this is the only such major decision, and that is why I welcome it. I thank the Prime Minister because it takes courage to take such bold decisions. This decision is also linked to the future of the country," Eknath Shinde emphasised.
Taking a jibe at the opposition, he accused the Congress Party of vote bank politics. "Those people who are claiming that this decision was taken due to them, I want to ask them, you were in power for 60 years, what did you do? Who had tied your hands?...because you wanted to do vote bank politics...those working part-time come and speak, and then they go abroad. Part-time politics won't help in the betterment of the country...", he claimed.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated at a media briefing following the cabinet meeting that the decision demonstrates the present government's commitment to the holistic interests and values of the nation and society.
According to Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the Census is a Union subject listed at item 69 in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule."While some states have conducted surveys to enumerate castes, these surveys have varied in transparency and intent, with some conducted purely from a political angle, creating doubts in society. Considering all these circumstances, and to ensure that our social fabric does not come under political pressure, it has been decided that caste enumeration should be included in the main census instead of being conducted as a separate survey," Vaishnaw said. (ANI)