Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has reiterated his demand for caste based census, arguing that there are many people from backward communities and classes who are yet to be brought into the mainstream and get their due share in power structure.
Yadav, who was in Saifai on Monday, said that his party would continue to work towards ensuring that people from backward communities and classes get their rights and respect.
“The whole country today wants a caste census because after so many years of independence there are many backward people whose counting could not be done and we could not bring them into the mainstream,” the Samajwadi Party president said.
“There are many castes in the country which do not have any identification. Therefore, the voice which was once raised from Uttar Pradesh for a caste census, is now also being raised in Bihar. We know that people of Haryana also want this census,” he said.
Akhilesh Yadav said after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, his party would ensure a caste census in the country so that the people get their rights and due respect.
The Congress has also been demanding a caste census and has promised to get the survey done if voted to power at the Centre. The Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) government in Bihar has already released findings of its caste survey, months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Yadav also spoke against the Centre’s Agniveer scheme for recruiting soldiers. In the SP manifesto for Lok Sabha polls, the party would promise to end the scheme, he said.
“I want to say this to you as the youth of Haryana are joining as Agniveers. I want to tell them that the first promise in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll manifesto of the Samajwadi Party will be to end the Agniveer system and restore the earlier system of recruitment,” Yadav said.