"People took ministries to enjoy benefits but never remembered caste-census": Uttar Pradesh minister OP Rajbhar targets Oppn
Speaking to ANI, Rajbhar questioned the Congress, Samajwadi Party, BSP, and RJD for failing to act on the issue despite being in power. He claimed that his party has been at the forefront of the fight for a caste census from the very beginning.
ANI
May 06, 2025 10:23 IST
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 6 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Tuesday slammed the opposition parties for taking credit for the caste-census, accusing them of ignoring the demand during their time in power.
Speaking to ANI, Rajbhar questioned the Congress, Samajwadi Party, BSP, and the RJD for failing to act on the issue despite being in power. He claimed that his party has been at the forefront of the fight for a caste census from the very beginning.
"Congress couldn't conduct a caste-census even after being in power for 60 years. Samajwadi Party, BSP, and RJD couldn't get it done even while supporting Congress. People took ministries like Defence and Railways just to enjoy the benefits, but never remembered caste-based census then. Akhilesh Yadav was Chief Minister for five years, and not once did he tell the Prime Minister that he demanded a caste-based census. He must have held many press conferences in those five years, but this issue never came up," Rajbhar said.
"Now that the central government has said it will conduct the census, these people are rushing to take credit. Had we not aligned with them in 2022, they wouldn't have even remembered caste-based census. Our party has been fighting for this from the very beginning," OP Rajbhar asserted.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said that the BJP is conducting a caste census out of fear of a united PDA- Picchda (backwards), Dalit (scheduled caste) and Alphshankyak (minorities).
Akhilesh Yadav said that the BJP government's corruption and injustice have united the PDA against them, adding that they will remain together to ensure that "there are no irregularities in the caste census."
Addressing a press conference here, the SP leader said, "There's no limit to the corruption in this governemnt. Injustice is on the same level, and that is why the PDA family has come together. BJP is conducting a caste census out of fear of this unity. The PDA family will remain united to ensure "no irregularities in the caste census." (ANI)
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