‘New turn in favour of neglected Bahujan samaj’: Mayawati seeks caste survey in Uttar Pradesh, country

“Some parties are definitely uncomfortable with this (caste survey), but for BSP, this is the first step in the long struggle for the constitutional rights of OBCs,” she added. “Although the UP government should now improve its intentions and policies as per the public sentiments and expectations and start the caste census/survey immediately, the right solution will be found only when the central government conducts the caste census at the national level and gives them their due rights,” she said.

3. वैसे तो यूपी सरकार को अब अपनी नीयत व नीति में जन भावना व जन अपेक्षा के अनुसार सुधार करके जातीय जनगणना/सर्वे अविलम्ब शुरू करा देना चाहिए, किन्तु इसका सही समाधान तभी होगा जब केन्द्र सरकार राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर जातीय जनगणना कराकर उन्हें उनका वाजिब हक देना सुनिश्चित करेगी।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) October 3, 2023

The caste survey released by the Nitish Kumar-led government shows that the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) and the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) make up 63% of the total population of the state. The chief minister and his deputy Tejashwi Prasad Yadav have said dedicated plans and policies would be framed and implemented for the weaker sections of society highlighted by the survey.

The findings are likely to have major political implications ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and amid the Opposition’s demand for a country-wide caste census.

On Monday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who is a part of the Opposition’s INDIA alliance, called the survey a “mathematical basis of social justice”. “The BJP government should leave politics and conduct a nationwide caste census,” he said. “Caste census is the path to progress of the country. Now it is certain that PDA will decide the direction of future politics,” he added. PDA refers to “Pichchde, Dalit and Alpsankhyak” (backwards, Dalits and minorities).

Meanwhile, Apna Dal (Sonelal), an ally of the BJP, too expressed its support for caste-based census. Anupriya Patel said that though she does not want to comment on the Bihar survey, “Apna Dal has always advocated for caste-based census”. “In Parliament, we have kept a clear position that we are in support of caste-based census”.

BJP ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) general secretary Arun Rajbhar said his party has always been a votary of a nationwide caste census “without which social empowerment of deprived, poor and oppressed sections is not possible”. However, party chief OP Rajbhar also flagged, “People belonging to castes that are in politics were counted properly whereas those belonging to castes that are not in politics were not counted properly in Bihar caste census.”